50 Lighting Setups / 50 configuraciones de iluminación

50 LIGHTING SETUPS

FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS Easy-to-follow lighting designs and diagrams

Steven H. Begleiter Amherst Media

®

PUBLISHER OF PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS

ON THE FRONT COVER—The cover photo of Melika was taken in my backyard to illustrate the technique of offcamera flash for an article I wrote on dedicated flash photography. This technique is discussed on pages 21–22 and a similar photo is shown on page 20.

Copyright © 2008 by Steven H. Begleiter.

All rights reserved.

Published by: Amherst Media, Inc. P.O. Box 586 Buffalo, N.Y. 14226 Fax: 716-874-4508 www.AmherstMedia.com Publisher: Craig Alesse Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins Assistant Editor: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt Editorial Assistance: John S. Loder, Carey A. Maines, Charles Schweizer ISBN-13: 978-1-58428-242-6 Library of Congress Control Number: 2008926662 Printed in Korea.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher.

Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the author’s experience and opinions.

The author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.

Table of Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Dragging the Shutter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Using Flash Outside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Freezing Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Lighting Basics

Direct or Bounce Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Portrait Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Special Effects with Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Side Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Taking the Flash Off the Camera . . . . . . . . . . .21

Paramount (or Butterfly) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . .9

What’s Right for You? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Rembrandt Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Variations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Lighting Case Studies

Side Lighting Modified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

1. Brideshead Revisited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Rembrandt Lighting Modified . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

2. Avoiding a Storm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Add a Reflector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

3. Two Hens and a Big Heart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 4. Writer’s Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Advanced Light Modifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

5. A Cold Night in Philly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32

Octagonal Softbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 TeleZoom Reflector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 The Globe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 The Beauty Dish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 The Ring Light (a.k.a. The Bug Light) . . . . . . . .13 A Lesson Learned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Working with Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 The Pop-Up Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 For Fill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Diffusing the Pop-Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Auxiliary Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Dedicated or Non-Dedicated . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

CASE STUDY #4 WRITER DEIRDRE MCNAMER

CASE STUDY #19 BUSINESS TITAN HENRY KRAVIS

The Universal Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

6. Rudolf and Owen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34

Sync Seed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

7. Take Me Out to the Ballpark . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 TABLE OF CONTENTS

3

8. Hockey on the Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 9. Take Five . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 10. “But Soft, What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 11. Puff the Magic Dragon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 12. The Real Judge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 13. Lights, Camera, Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 14. The Fourth Round . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 15. An Acerbic Wit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 16. AstroTurf and a Rising Star . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 17. Five-Minute Pit Stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 18. Chairman of the Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 19. Business Titan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 20. Cognitive Bow Tie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 21. Folly with Caddie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 22. Drummer’s Dream . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 23. The Gun Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 24. The Beach Umbrella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

CASE STUDY #20 DR. AARON T. BECK, FATHER OF COGNITIVE THERAPY

25. Yankee Stadium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73

35. Not So Nude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93

26. Vanguard Chief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

36. First Lady of Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95 37. Have You Driven a Ford Lately . . . . . . . . . . .96 38. Hothouse in the Alley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99 39. Vignelli Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 40. In the Met . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 41. Julia’s Kitchen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105 42. Computers and Skateboards . . . . . . . . . . . .107 43. Piper’s Daughter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .108 44. Grace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111 45. Adoption Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 46. The Conductor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114

CASE STUDY #27 ACTOR JOHN MAHONEY

CASE STUDY #29 ACTOR ARMAND ASSANTE

47. ExcelleRx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117 48. Payne Financial Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119

27. House of John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77

49. Tea Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .121

28. Robert Lee Morris Meets Jackson Pollock . . .78

50. Hangin’ with Hal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122

29. Tender Tough Guy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81 30. Actors and Their Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .124

31. Outer Sam Pan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .125

32. Motion to Urban Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 33. Woody, Meet Ira . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89 34. Protecting Journalist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .91 4

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

Introduction

T

he purpose of this book is to share the twenty-

some unusual lighting modifiers, and instructions for

five years of professional photographic assign-

using flash to light your images. The second section

ments I have completed and the varied lighting

of the book is divided into fifty case studies—images

challenges they have presented—from the early days

created during real assignments. For each of these, I

of using a Vivitar flash on camera, to the more com-

have included details such as my visual objective, the

plicated lighting setup of five power packs and twelve

equipment used, posing techniques, and a few tips that

strobe heads.

apply to the particular image. A lighting diagram also

I believe there is a correlation between the fine art of cooking and the process of creating a well-crafted

accompanies each case study, showing you exactly how the effect seen was created.

portrait with substance. Photographic lighting, like cooking, has “recipes.” If you follow them carefully,

This book is set up to give you

you end up with what you expected; if you add a little

real lighting solutions, as well as

extra seasoning (experience and intuition) and use

behind-the-scenes tips . . .

your taste buds (vision), however, you may end up with a masterpiece—a true pièce de résistance.

In all cases, I’ve attempted to keep my discussions

This book is intended for any photographer who

short and to the point; photographers are visual peo-

uses artificial lighting to create portraits. Whether you

ple and most of us don’t enjoy digging through overly

are a wedding photographer or celebrity photographer

complicated explanations. (Note: To that end, I will

this book is set up to give you real lighting solutions,

also forgo any weighty discussions on what makes a

as well as behind-the-scenes tips that may save your

great portrait, the importance of photographic history,

reputation in a real-world photo assignment.

the debate between commercial and art photography,

I have taught photography for over ten years at a variety of institutions and to hundreds of students.

and how big a digital image must be to match up with the resolution of film.)

Through this, I have learned to listen and provide ef-

My objective in this book is to demonstrate and ex-

fective, comprehensible responses—even if they are

plain to you how a professional photographer shoots

not necessarily conventional. You may find my meth-

and thinks. My hope is that you study the diagrams

ods unorthodox, but I urge you to give them a try.

and the results, and either copy them or, better yet,

In the first section of this book, I have included a few basics of portrait lighting—simple setups, tips on

improvise on them to create work with your own unique vision.

INTRODUCTION

5

Drawing by Melodie Begleiter.

About the Author

Steven Begleiter is a freelance photographer living in Missoula, Montana. Before moving to Missoula he was a lecturer of photography at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design. He has authored three books: Fathers and Sons, The Art of Color Infrared Photography, and The Portrait Book: A Guide for Photographers. He

is also a contributor to trade magazines such as Photo Techniques and Rangefinder, and has been featured in Studio Photography.

His professional career began in 1980 as first photo assistant to Annie Leibovitz and Mary Ellen Mark. Since then, his work has appeared in Esquire, Big Sky Journal, Us Magazine, Forbes, Elle, Business Week, on the cover of Time, in Fortune 500 annual reports, and in national advertising campaigns.

He is a recipient of a Greater Philadelphia Cultural Association grant and has served on the board of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers. In addition to his freelance photography business, he teaches at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography.

For more information: www.begleiter.com

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank all the people who took time out of their lives to let me take their portraits. In addition, I would like to thank the art directors, photo editors, and publishers who trusted me to deliver a creative portrait, as well as my staff, assistants, stylists and support team. I would also like to thank Steve Schwartz, of B&H Video Pro Audio, and Bill Gratton of the MAC Group US, for lending Impact and Profoto gear to play, learn from, and grow. Lastly, my wife Kate, son Makhesh, and daughter Metika, who let me disappear into the night to complete this book. Love and kisses.

In Memory

This book is dedicated to the loving memory of John Siegrist, my second father, and Sri Chinmoy, spiritual teacher and prophet of peace.

6

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

Lighting Basics

Portrait Lighting

B

y observing how the light changes the form of the

begin to understand what light is best for your sub-

subject’s nose, chin, cheeks, and eyes, you can

ject. The following are some common setups.

main light placed level with subject’s face

Side Lighting 8

main light placed about two feet above subject’s face and angled down

main light placed about two feet above subject’s face and angled down

Paramount Lighting

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rembrandt Lighting

Side Lighting

Rembrandt Lighting

For this setup, the main light is placed to the side of

Rembrandt lighting is characterized by a triangular

the subject (level with the face; note the catchlight in

highlight on the cheek. To achieve this, the main light

the subject’s eye on the facing page) and pointed to-

is placed to the side of the subject and angled down

ward their nose. The light illuminates half of the face,

from about two feet above the subject’s head. This is

shadowing the other side.

a classic style, but it may not be suitable for all faces.

Paramount (or Butterfly) Lighting

Variations

To place a butterfly-shaped shadow under the sub-

Side Lighting Modified. Adding a second light op-

ject’s nose, the main light is placed on axis with the

posite the main light illuminates the shadow area, cre-

camera and about two feet above the subject’s head.

ating two highlights on the nose and on the outside

This style, popular in Hollywood in the ’30s and ’40s,

edge of each eye. This setup is common in low-end

accents the cheekbones, chin, and shape of the nose.

portraiture; it is easy and regardless of how your subject turns, the light will basically the same.

Rembrandt Lighting Modified. After looking at the different effects in this series, I felt Rembrandt lighting suited Brenda’s face. To soften the effect I used a Profoto three-foot Octagon softbox for the main light. I placed a silver reflector opposite the light to open up the shadow side, and added a round white reflector on the posing table to bounce light up and clean up the shadows under Brenda’s chin. For more dimension, I also added a strobe on the backdrop. This was placed on a floor stand with a 30-degree grid light on background

spot and some spun glass over the silver reflector for fill placed vertically beside subject light placed level with subject’s face

hair light placed about two feet above subject’s head and angled down main light about two feet above face and angled down

light placed level with subject’s face

grid to soften the light.

Add a Reflector. With any of these setups, adding a reflector on the side of the subject opposite the main light will open up the shad-

white reflector placed flat on posing table

ows, reduce the contrast and capture more detail, changing the feel

Side Lighting Modified

Rembrandt Lighting Modified

of the portrait.

LIGHTING BASICS

9

Advanced Light Modifiers

W

e all know about umbrellas, grids, and rectangular softboxes (if not, be sure to buy my book

The Portrait Book: A Guide for Photographers). In addition to these everyday modifiers, there are some advanced tools that each create a specific quality of light—a quality you may find desirable and one that may even shape your style of portraiture. The following are some that have become my favorites. (Thanks to Profoto for letting me try these out!)

Octagonal Softbox

The three-foot octagonal softbox is a nice alternative to the regular rectangular softbox. The octagonal shape wraps the light more evenly around the face, creating a softer light and less contrast when using

Octagonal Softbox

Rembrandt lighting. (The final photograph of Brenda on page 9 was taken with an octagonal softbox.)

TeleZoom Reflector

In the final portrait of Brenda on page 9, I also used a Profoto TeleZoom reflector and grid for a backlight.

The TeleZoom is an oversized reflector that, in combination with the grid, produces softer lighting than a regular reflector and grid. You can also control the spread of light by sliding the reflector away from the flash, resulting in a narrower beam.

This modifier is great for use as a hair light or back light, as shown in the image of Michael and Gay at the top of the facing page. Here, the broad spread of the 10

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

TeleZoom Reflector

TeleZoom for backlight

main light

silver reflector for fill

The lighting used for this image of Michael and Gay is a great basic setup that can easily be adjusted to suit the shape of the subjects.

If the subject’s face is round, for example, you might want to slim it by moving the reflector away from the subject to create more shadow (or you could eliminate the reflector entirely, resulting in a more dramatic image). Here, I was photographing a couple, which can make posing difficult if you are not prepared. I like to create tight, simple compositions by bringing my subjects as close to each other as comfortably possible. In this case, I placed a posing stool behind a padded piano bench set at a 45-degree angle to the camera. With Michael sitting on the stool, Gay sat on the bench and leaned back to be cradled by Michael. To close the physical gap, I had the couple get “cheek to cheek” and wrap their arms around each other. I find this technique also loosens up the subjects and results in a more playful photo session.

backlight helps separate the subjects, who were wearing black and photographed against a black background. A silver reflector was also placed on the left side of the subjects to bounce light back onto the shadow sides of the faces.

The Globe

The Profoto Globe light produces a very soft but modeled quality of light. Because of its small size (around fifteen inches in diameter), round shape, and frosted Plexiglas surface, the light doesn’t have the coverage of a three-foot octagon softbox, but the gentle quality of the light it produces is similar.

The best way to determine the type and placement of the main light in a portrait is to examine the sub-

Globe LIGHTING BASICS

11

Here, the main light was a Profoto Globe, creating a soft look. I also used the TeleZoom reflector to highlight Julie’s hair. A white reflector was used opposite the main light to fill in the shadows and prevent blue reflections from the wall to bounce back onto the subject’s face. To clean up the shadows under the chin and nose, I used a piece of white frosted Plexiglas as a table. This also provided a support for Julie’s arms.

ject’s eyes. The shape and placement of the catchlight (the reflection of the main light) will tell you where and what type of light the photographer used. In the inset shown with the portrait of Julie to the right, you can see a round reflection just above the pupil. This tells you the primary light source (main light) was round (like a globe light) and that the light was placed to the right of the subject and about two feet above her head.

In the setup shot at the top of this page, you can also see that I am working in a small space.

This is a great application for the globe light, since there isn’t much room for a large softbox.

Notice that the placement of the light is similar to that used in the Rembrandt lighting setup (see page 9). Here, the triangle highlight is rounder because of the shape, size, and diffusion of the globe.

The Beauty Dish

The beauty dish is a large, flattened reflector (36 inches in diameter), with a deflector in front of the flash tube to redirect the light into the dish. Placed close to the camera, this virtually eliminates shadows on the face. The quality of light this renders is cleaner than a softbox or globe, resulting in a commercial look. It’s a great choice if your client happens to be a cosmetics company.

Like the globe light, the beauty dish creates a round catchlight. As you can see in the eye inset photo on the facing page, however, there is a black dot in the middle, caused by the de12

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

Beauty Dish

In the above image you see what the model sees—pretty daunting.

In the image to the left, you see the result of this setup: the almost shadowless lighting that is popular in commercial photography. Notice how Julie extended her forehead, drew her chin in and down, then looked up with her eyes. This smoothes out the neck (in men, if there is a pronounced Adam’s apple, this will soften the bump) and makes the eyes look bigger.

flector in the middle of the dish. Notice the highlight in the pupil is more centered. This tells you that the light is closer to the camera.

The Ring Light (a.k.a. The Bug Light)

The ring light was actually designed to create a circle of flash around the lens to evenly illuminate insects and other macrophotography subjects (thus, I sometime like to call it the “bug light”). The quality of the light was so unique, though, it was quickly adapted for use in portrait and fashion photography.

LIGHTING BASICS

13

Ring Flash

The ring light mounts directly onto the camera body using the tripod mount. Your lens goes through the center of the flash and you’re off to the races.

When hand-holding your camera with the ring light, it is extremely important that you and the model set your positions for accurate exposure. Any camera movement toward or away from the subject will also change the distance from the light to the subject, altering the exposure. (Note: The ring flash can also mount to a tripod, but in my experience this restricts your movement.)

The catchlight created by the ring light (seen in the eye inset image in the portrait of Julie to the right) is similar to that seen when using on-camera flash. The big difference is that the reflection is round and dead center in the pupil. Note, too, the dilation of the pupil.

Like light from a beauty dish, light from a ring light is shadowless. However, it is also much harder. Notice how it brings out the form in Julie’s face. Since the pupils are dilated, the eyes also appear much darker.

Ultimately, the ring light is a great choice for edgier portraits and fashion since the quality of light creates a specific style. However, you must be aware that the ring light produces a powerful burst of light. If your subject is sitting in a dimly lit studio staring straight at the light, this can create eye discomfort. Be sure to warn your subject when you are ready to shoot, and give them a count. Because it is so close to the lens the ring light will also create red-eye; fortunately, this can easily be fixed by most digital imaging programs.

14

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

The ring flash in action, Photo by Pam Voth.

A Lesson Learned

he looked too stiff; he wanted to portray himself as an

Now that we’ve covered a lot of interesting equip-

open and friendly person. Rather than letting my ego

ment, I would like to end this introduction with a

get in the way, I decided to listen to my client and try

story about how I learned that keeping it simple is

it again—but this time outside. He agreed and I came

sometimes the best place to start—and that listening

back the following month (John had grown a beard

to your subject can save you time.

in the meantime). This time, I came with just my flash

I had been working with John R. Howard Fine Art,

and 35mm digital camera. I scouted the outside prop-

photographing their art and architecture, and was

erty and saw that the sun would be moving behind a

asked to take a portrait of John for his web site. As I

grove of pine trees in about an hour, which would

was mulling over how I wanted to take the portrait, I

make for a good backdrop. It was a simple setup, using

started thinking of Arnold Newman and his icono-

the backlight for separation and a fill flash to illuminate

clastic portraits of great artist in their studio. I scouted

my subject. It took about two minutes to set up and

out a location in the gallery and devised a somewhat

ten minutes to shoot—and it was the perfect shot for

elaborate lighting setup—I even brought my 4x5 field

my client’s needs.

camera to get the Newman feel.

The session went well and I liked the portrait, but my client wasn’t excited about the end result. He felt

The moral of the story is that sometimes, we (photographers) can get too hung up on gear and grand ideas and forget the needs of our clients.

The portrait on the left, created using a complex studio lighting setup, was my first idea. I felt it was a successful portrait with a strong composition and classic pose, but it wasn’t quite right for the client. The image on the right suited him better. It was shot using only on-camera flash and backlighting from the sun. I set my Canon D30 camera to the program mode, and my Canon 580EX flash was set on the ETTL mode; I increased the power of the flash to +1.

LIGHTING BASICS

15

Working with Flash

A

lthough the sun is my favorite light source, it is

and typically yields only adequate results. With a little

often less than cooperative. It is either in the

finesse, the pop-up flash is sometimes better than no

wrong part of the sky or hiding behind thick clouds.

flash, however

As a result, the laws of nature mean we must learn to

For Fill. Both prosumer and professional cameras

use flash effectively. Used correctly and creatively, this

allow you to dial up or down the pop-up flash output.

economical light source will render great results.

You can, of course, also increase or decrease the camera exposure. By increasing/decreasing your flash

The Pop-Up Flash

output and increasing/decreasing your camera’s ex-

In desperate situations I will use the pop-up flash. I

posure settings, you can find a combination at which

say desperate, because this is the least controlled light

the flash balances appealingly with the ambient light.

This photo was taken outside with my subject backlit. The exposure was 1/180 second at f/6.7 with no flash. I set my camera to the program mode and let it decide the best exposure. The result looks fine, but the back, the brightest tone in the image, takes away from my subject’s face.

16

This image was shot at 1/250 second at f/5.6.

I kept my camera in the program mode and set my pop-up flash at +1. This means that the output of the flash will be one stop brighter than the camera exposure. The result is better than without the flash but it looks a little too artificial for my taste.

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

This image was shot at 1/250 second at f/5.6 with my camera in the program mode and set my pop-up flash at –1. The flash is now one stop less than the camera exposure.

To my eye, this looks more natural.

For our first sequence of images in this section (facing page), popup flash was used outdoors for fill light. In the first shot (facing page, left), we see the result of shooting with no flash—just sunlight. Unfortunately, the bright areas of the backlit subject distract the viewer from her face. In the second image (facing page, center), the flash was set one stop brighter than the camera exposure, resulting in an artificial look. In the final image of the series (facing page, right), the flash was set one stop under the camera exposure for a more natural and

This image was shot at 1/250 second at f/5.6.

I kept my camera in the program mode and set my unmodified pop-up flash at +1.

This image was shot at the same camera settings, but a Gary Fong Lumisphere was placed over the flash to soften it.

balanced look.

Diffusing the Pop-Up. Diffusing your pop-up flash will result in a more flattering quality of light.

For example, consider the pair of images above.

The first image (left) was photographed with my camera in the program mode and my pop-up flash powered to +1 (one stop over the camera exposure). For the second image, I placed the plastic dome from an early version of the Gary Fong Lumisphere over my pop-up flash. The frosted plastic dispersed the flash, softening the light on my subject. Although the effect is subtle, the second image is more flattering and less washed out.

To achieve the same softening effect, you can also go to an art-supply or craft store and buy some frosted vellum and Velcro. Cut the frosted vellum to cover the pop-up flash and use the Velcro to attach the vellum to your camera. (Note: For another cool effect, you can even place colored gels or vellum in front of your popup flash.)

Auxiliary Flash

Pop-up flash definitely has its limitations. To create arresting images with artificial light you need to have more control over your light source than is possible Shooting with the dome from a Gary Fong Lumisphere.

with pop-up flash. You not only need to control the LIGHTING BASICS

17

output of the light, but also to decide on the direction

(for example, Canon flashes only work with Canon

and the quality of the light you want to achieve. The

cameras).

first step—and the least expensive option—is to purchase an auxiliary flash for your camera.

The Universal Flash. The first step in using a universal flash is to set the ISO. If you were using 100

Teaching lighting workshops has taught me that

ISO film or an ISO setting of 100 on your digital cam-

students are often totally mystified, even intimidated,

era, you would set the ISO on your flash to 100. By

by the use of auxiliary flash. As a result, the flash either

matching the camera and flash ISO, you are telling the

stays in the closet or is pulled out as a last resort. How-

flash how much power it will need to output in order

ever, with the advanced technology in today’s portable

to achieve a correct exposure.

flashes, combined with the immediacy of digital pho-

The next step is to determine what aperture you’ll

tography, there is absolutely no reason to be intimi-

shoot at and how much distance you want the flash to

dated by auxiliary flash. When photographing wed-

cover. In the days before electronic flash, this was

dings and events, knowing how to creatively use your

where guide numbers (the power of the flash divided

flash is absolutely essential, but I have even used my

by the distance from the camera to the subject) be-

dedicated flash on commercial shoots as an auxiliary

came important. Fortunately, with the advancement

light. In fact, for under $1,500 you can set up a com-

of the electronic flash, guide numbers have gone the

plete studio with portable, lightweight, off-/on-

way of the slide ruler. (Note: Guide numbers do, how-

camera flashes.

ever, indicate the strength of the flash. So when shop-

Before I unravel the mysteries of the auxiliary flash, though, I would like to discuss why one would want

ping for your ideal flash, note the guide number; a bigger value means a more powerful flash.)

to use a flash in the first place. The obvious reason is

Today, most universal flashes have some type of

to illuminate an area that would otherwise be too dark

automatic system that calculates the correct exposure.

for your camera’s film or digital sensor to record.

For instance, the Vivitar 285 uses a color-coded sys-

However, you should also consider using a flash when

tem to automate the correct exposure. Let’s look at a

you want to lighten the shadows in an image (reduc-

hypothetical situation.

ing the contrast), freeze motion, control the quality of the light, or create special effects.

Dedicated or Non-Dedicated? When using your flash, the first step is to determine whether your flash is dedicated to your camera—meaning that the flash and the camera talk to each other, calculating how best to achieve a good exposure.

A non-dedicated (or universal) camera flash, such as the Vivitar 285 or the Qflash T5D and X5D can, with the right adapter, work with many makes and models of cameras. However, these units need to be set up

1. Set the ISO on your flash to match the film/digital speed. Let’s say it’s 400.

2. Determine the distance from the flash to the subject. Let’s say it’s 40 feet.

3. On the Vivitar 285, Look for the color that will cover 40 feet and set the dial to that color.

4. This dial will indicate what your aperture should be (for example, f/4).

5. The dial will also indicate the maximum distance the flash will cover.

before they will communicate with the camera. The advantage of this type of flash is that it can be used

The distance you need to cover your depth of field will

with any camera model, unlike a dedicated flash that

determine the color you set your flash on—a little eas-

only works with cameras from the same manufacturer

ier than figuring out the guide number!

18

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

Sync Speed. The shutter speed needed to synchronize your flash depends on whether your camera has a focal-plane/curtain shutter (found in the camera body), or a leaf shutter (found in the lens itself). Leaf shutters allow you to sync at the fastest available shutter speed—up to 1/500 second. Most curtain shutters, the kind found in 35mm cameras, allow you to sync your flash at speeds up to 1/125 second. (Note: Nikon and Canon, however, manufacture some models that sync at up to 1/250 second.)

This is important to know, because if you set your shutter speed faster than the recommended sync speed, the flash will only illuminate part of your frame.

This occurs because the distance between the shutter curtains as they move across the film plane is so narrow and the duration of the flash is so short, that the light from the flash doesn’t have time to illuminate the entire frame.

Dragging the Shutter. Although you are limited to how fast you can set your shutter to sync with the flash, you are not limited to how slow you can set your shutter speed. Using a shutter speed that is slower than the recommended sync speed is called dragging the shutter. This is a useful technique in situations where you want to combine ambient light with flash.

For example, imagine that you are photographing a 20x60-foot room that is illuminated by some window light. The ambient light in the room is f/11 at 1/ 15

second. Now, in walks the basketball team you

have been hired to photograph. You know your flash can only illuminate up to 20 feet with an aperture at f/11. This will be fine for properly exposing the team, but if you set your shutter at 1/60 second at f/11, it will look like the team is standing in a cave; the flash will illuminate the first 20 feet of the room, but the other

It is essential to know how to work your flash outdoors, especially if you plan to shoot weddings. At Hal and Shelby’s wedding, for example, fill flash saved the day. The ceremony had just ended and the formal portraits were just about to start—but it was around 3PM on a bright, sunny day. This created very deep shadows that are not ideal for wedding portraits. The key was to turn my subjects away from the sun so they were backlit (or, in this case, closer to side lit). This created highlights to help separate them from the background, but caused deep shadows on their faces. With my flash on the hot shoe, I attached a Gary Fong Whale Tail diffuser, put my camera in the program mode, and powered down my flash to –1/3. With my focus on auto, the only thing left for me to do was to engage with my subjects and shoot until I got the right expressions. Wow—that was easy!

40 feet will be two stops underexposed. The solution?

member to use a tripod when shooting at 1/15 second

Drag the shutter. By slowing down the shutter to 1/60

or slower.

second, you’ll enable the ambient light to record suf-

Using the Flash Outside. Earlier, I mentioned

ficiently that it matches the flash output. The result

how the flash can be used to lighten shadows and re-

will be a more natural-looking environment. Just re-

duce contrast in a portrait. The key to achieving good LIGHTING BASICS

19

exposure outside with a flash is first determining the level of the ambient light. Let’s say you’ve been hired to photograph a portrait between noon and one o’clock—the worst hour for an outdoor portrait.

It is a very sunny day, and when you look through your viewfinder you see hard shadows on your subject’s face. According to your spot meter, at 1/125 second the shadows measure f/4, while the highlights measure f/11. Simply by setting your flash to illuminate your subject at f/8 at 1/125 second, you can reduce the contrast by two stops and create a more flattering, natural-looking portrait.

Freezing Action. In 1931, Harold Edgerton took the oncamera flash one step further with his invention of the stroboscope.

His intention was to take highspeed photographs of familiar subjects, such as a splattering droplet of milk—things that move at speeds beyond the ability of the

One reason to use flash is for its ability to freeze action.

human eye to perceive. That same technology is what

effective way to produce a softer quality of light with

allows you to freeze action with today’s flash units.

your flash. Because you are redirecting the light and it

Direct or Bounce Flash. On-camera flashes can create two types of light: direct or bounced.

Direct light is produced when the flash is aimed at

must travel farther to illuminate your subject, however, there will be at least some loss of light intensity when bouncing the flash.

your subject. This is the harshest type of lighting—and

Indoors, you can angle your flash up and bounce

if the light is too close to the lens, red-eye will appear

the light off the ceiling. Just make sure the ceiling is ei-

in your portrait. Direct flash does, however, take full

ther white or gray; otherwise a color cast will reflect

advantage of the power of the flash, maximizing the

onto your subject. I find fifteen-foot ceilings to be of

light that falls on your subject.

an adequate height for proper exposure.

Bounce (or indirect) flash is produced when the

When working outdoors, more advanced flash

flash is angled in such a way that the light bounces off

models have a built-in bounce card that you can pull

a surface before hitting the subject. This is an easy and

out when needed. Additionally, manufacturers like Lu-

20

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

miquest sell all types of bounce-flash accessories. You

Taking the Flash Off the Camera. One easy way

can even place a white index card on top of your flash

to control the quality of the light from your flash is to

to create a surface that will redirect the flash.

take your flash off the hot shoe. This can be done

Special Effects with Flash. Edgerton’s experi-

using either a flash cord or a remote.

ments with flash were not only to freeze action but

If you decide to use a flash cord, one end of the

also to capture a series of images of a single motion, a

cord attaches to the flash and the other attaches to

practice called stroboscopic photography. To do this,

your camera’s hot shoe or PC socket. This allows you

you must work in a totally dark room with your cam-

to move the flash away from the lens axis, either hold-

era set on bulb. Then, with the shutter open, you can

ing it in your hand or attaching it to your camera via

pop your flash multiple times and record the stages of

a bracket (an arm-like device that supports the flash at

a single motion. Advanced flashes have a multiflash

a distance above or to the side of the camera).

function that makes this easier to accomplish.

If you have a larger budget (around $200) and are

As noted earlier in this section, you can also place

working with Canon flashes, you may want to look

colored gels over your flash to create surreal lighting

into a ST-E2 remote system. These transmitters have

effects. Just remember that some gels absorb light; to

a range of 30 to 40 feet indoors and 20 to 30 feet out-

compensate, you may have to increase your exposure.

doors. They can also trigger an unlimited number of

If you have a light meter, you can take measurements

Canon flashes, offering many creative possibilities.

with the filter on the flash and off the flash to see just how much light is being lost.

One advantage of taking your flash off the camera is the elimination of red eye. Red eye is caused when

It is also possible to use light-painting techniques

light from a flash enters your subject’s eyes at an angle

with flash—meaning you can use one flash to illumi-

of less than 2.5 degrees. When this happens, the flash

nate your subject and the entire environment. To do

reflects off the retina and back into the camera lens.

this, place your camera on a tripod and set the shutter

Moving the flash off axis with the lens solves this prob-

on bulb using either a locking cable release or a remote shutter release.

Then, set the flash to illuminate your subject and the walls at a specific distance and a specific f-stop.

Trigger the shutter to begin the exposure and start popping the flash to illuminate the subject and then the walls. Ask your subject to stay very still and avoid directing the flash back toward the camera (it is also a good idea to wear black to make sure you yourself don’t show up in the photo). When you have covered the entire area with flash pops, release the shutter to end the exposure.

While the shutter remains open, multiple flash pops create a stroboscopic effect.

LIGHTING BASICS

21

the flash that was “made for your camera,” or you buy a system that may be more versatile, with options of adapting it to your system. The decision should be based on your usage. If you are a wedding/event photographer, you need the best flash you can afford.

Look for a flash with a good guide number (130 feet or more). Manufacturers often combine the range of the flash with the focal lengths of a lens. For instance the guide number may be listed as “Guide No. 125ft./38m at 35mm”—as with the Nikon SB-800.

Look for a flash that is dedicated to your camera and has TTL (through the lens) capability. This allows the flash and camera to talk to each other to determine the right exposure. It’s also nice to have a versatile flash head that rotates and angles easily to create bounce-flash lighting. Also, you’ll probably enjoy a unit with a remote-flash function. This allows you to synchronize two or more flashes.

At this writing, flashes with all those functions cost $350–$450. In addition, you may want to consider a flash bracket ($50–$150) and a rechargeable battery (such as the Quantum at $200–$500) to power your flash. If you are purchasing the flash for personal rather than professional use, however, you can consider a less expensive flash with fewer functions. The Canon Speedlight 220 EX is a very compact flash for Canon cameras that has the TTL function but not a bounce I had Melika rest her head on a lacquered table in the dining room, then placed a tungsten conversion gel over my flash along with a diffuser. I set my white balance to tungsten light to match the color temperature of the flash. The reason for all this hoopla was to get a blue background and a blue reflection on the table and still maintain realistic flesh tones. I then attached my flash to a flash cord so I could extend it over my head and direct it toward my subject. This way, I avoided a flash reflection in the window behind her and achieved a more sculpted quality of light.

head. The Sunpak Auto355 also has TTL and a bounce head and can be used on different makes of cameras. Both models cost less than $50.

The key to mastering flash is practice, practice, and more practice. It may seem like a burden to carry an additional piece of equipment—but it’s nothing com-

lem (Note: There are also digital fixes for red-eye, but

pared to the heartache of not getting the shot because

if you are editing a job from a wedding or event you

there wasn’t enough light or the scene had too much

may spend hours fixing all those red eyes!)

contrast. If you are shooting digital, there’s really no excuse: you can get instant visual feedback on your

What’s Right for You?

LCD screen and use it to hone your skills. So dust off

Although many flashes are available your choices are

your flash and start creating.

few: either you decide to buy into your system and get 22

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

Lighting Case Studies

Brideshead Revisited CASE STUDY #1

CAMERA:

LENS:

Canon D30

Canon 24–105mm L series at 45mm EXPOSURE:

f/9.5 at 1/30 second ISO:

LIGHTING:

400

Canon 580EX on hot shoe with a flash diffuser. Flash set on normal.

Assignment

called me back to let me know they wanted to hire me

This photograph was taken during the preparation for

for their wedding.

the wedding. I like to photograph weddings in a pho-

The day of the wedding, my assistant (and second

tojournalistic style, so I begin my wedding-day cover-

shooter) arrived at the site around 1PM to scout the

age by being present to document all the preparations

location and begin shooting the wedding preparations.

the bride and groom go through to get ready for the

My assistant covered the groom getting ready, while I

ceremony.

covered the bride.

My Visual Objective

Tips

I like to capture what I call the “quiet moments” of

I try to use natural light whenever I can, then supple-

wedding preparation. Here, the bride, Shelby, was en-

ment it as needed with flash. Here, I knew there was

tering the cabin to greet her family. In my mind’s eye,

about a four-stop difference between the inside of the

I had noted the frame of the door and thought it

cabin and the outside. I set my camera on shutter-

would make a nice framing element for my subject.

priority, slowing my shutter down to

1/30

second to

“blow out” the background. This added to dreamy Posing Technique

quality of the image.

No direction was used in this photo since I was trying to capture a real moment. I simply watched and waited

sunlight creating blown-out background

for the right moment. When Shelby lifted her train with her left arm I knew that was the shot. The pose reminded me of the goddesses depicted on the sides of ancient Greek vases.

Story Behind the Photograph

I met Shelby at a Chamber of Commerce meeting.

auxiliary flash held off camera

She told me that she was getting married and asked if I knew any wedding photographers. You never know when you may find your next client. I met with her and her fiancé, Hal, and a couple of weeks later they LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

25

Avoiding a Storm CASE STUDY #2

CAMERA: LENS:

Canon D30

Canon 24–105mm L series at 105mm

EXPOSURE: ISO:

f/19 at 1/160 second

100

LIGHTING:

Profoto 1200ws pack with softbox for main light; silver reflector disc for fill

Assignment

shot, however, we went outside and found it was pour-

This portrait was used on the cover of a trade maga-

ing rain. Knowing that my client needed an outdoor

zine called State Ways. The designer, from New York

shot, we headed up the hills looking for a vantage

City, had searched the web for a photographer in

point with the state capital in the background. There,

Montana and saw my work on my web site. I had

I noticed a home under construction. After securing

never seen the publication, so the designer sent sam-

the owners’ permission to shoot, I located a narrow

ples of their favorite covers for me to emulate. The one

ledge on the outdoor porch that faced the capital. At

demand was that the portrait be taken outside.

this point the rain had stopped and the skies were clearing. To compress all the elements, I selected a

Visual Objective

telephoto lens (which meant I had to shoot through a

My subject, Shauna Helfert, was the Administrator of

window while standing in their deconstructed living

the Montana Liquor Control Division, so the state

room—the photo gods were definitely looking over

capitol with the mountains in the background was a

me that day!).

perfect setting for the cover.

Tips Posing

When balancing strobe and daylight I always bracket

Shauna is a state administrator and I wanted her to ap-

my shutter speeds to vary the background exposure.

pear strong and confident. Because she was sitting on a narrow ledge, the challenge was having her keep her sunlight

back straight, relax her left hand on top of her right, sit in a three-quarter view to the camera, and keep breathing. You would be surprised how some people hold their breath while they are being photographed.

The Story

When my assistant and I drove to Helena early in the morning it was sunny, so I decided to photograph the inside shots first—thinking that later afternoon light would work well for the cover. After the last indoor 26

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

main light balanced with sunlight

silver reflector disc for fill

Two Hens and a Big Heart CASE STUDY #3

CAMERA:

LENS:

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

Canon 20D

Canon 28–135mm at 80mm f/8 at 1/40 second

Profoto 1200ws with medium rectangular softbox and Pocket Wizards to fire the strobe

Assignment

wanted—no easy task. Like all animals, food is a great

This was an assignment for the magazine Inspire Your

incentive for hens, though. So I set up the shot, stood

World. (Unfortunately the publication only lasted five

behind my camera, and directed Sandra while my as-

issues and this was the last issue.) I was hired to pho-

sistant threw feed on the ground. It took many tries,

tograph the artist, author, and art therapist, Sandra

but we finally got the shot.

Magsamen at her home just outside of Baltimore.

Tips Visual Objective

Normally I would be fussier about my subject’s hair

The publication was all about altruistic people so I

but after meeting with Sandra, I knew she liked to

wanted to capture a warm and spirited portrait of San-

have her bangs fall over her forehead. This is part of

dra. When we arrived at her home, I scouted around

her personality, and I feel it is important to identify

for a location that would suit my subject. She had a

the unique physical qualities of your subject and allow

great art studio where she worked, but I wanted to es-

them to become part of the portrait. Similarly, choos-

tablish the opening shot for the article. I had seen this

ing the wardrobe of your subject is also very impor-

great chair that she created, and the porch outside her

tant. I selected the red shirt for Sandra because I knew

studio made for a great backdrop.

the color red would stand out from the green background and complement the red hearts on the chair.

Posing

I knew she would feel comfortable in her chair, so the pose would fit the chair. My only concern was work-

sunlight

ing with her hands. Because she was an artist, I wanted her hands to show off well, so I simply told her to hug the back of the chair with her hands.

The Story

Meeting Sandra was truly a rich experience. She is as big as the hearts she creates. When she told me she

medium softbox

had hens on her farm I asked if we could use them for the shoot. The trick was to get the hens to do what I LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

29

Writer’s Black CASE STUDY #4

CAMERA: LENS:

Canon D30

Canon EF 24–105mm at 67mm

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/16 at 1/125 second Profoto 1200ws strobe with Profoto 3-foot octagonal softbox

Assignment

planned out four different images for the article while

The portrait of the author Deirdre McNamer was

I was there. As a bonus, Deirdre also gave me an ad-

taken for the magazine Distinctly Montana. Deirdre

vance copy of her novel to read. It was early spring and

was coming out with her fourth novel and the maga-

I wanted to wait until there was more foliage on the

zine was writing a profile on her.

trees, so we planned a session three weeks later. By the time I met her again for the session, I had finished her

Visual Objective

novel and felt like I knew her a little better—and she

Deirdre is known as a “Montana Writer”; she writes

felt very comfortable around me. As a result, the ses-

about Montana and the (fictional) people who live

sion went very well and pretty quickly.

here. I wanted to visually incorporate that geographic essence of her books, so I felt it was important to have

Tips

mountains as a backdrop. In addition, I wanted to

The key to this session was preparation, but I did have

move away from the stereotypical “western wear.”

back-up plan just in case the weather didn’t hold up.

Fortunately, Deirdre dressed in designer black. The

It was touch and go with the heavy clouds, but the

lime green coffee cup was for a splash of color.

weather gods were with me again. If you plan for the worst-case scenario, you will always be prepared to

Posing

come away with a successful portrait.

After scouting the location, I found a comfortable patio chair and a table. I had originally placed a laptop on the table and was going to have her pretend she

sunlight

was working on her next book, but it looked awkward.

Instead, I opted for a pen and paper—the “old fashioned” writing props. I prompted her to breathe deeply a couple times and gaze into the lens.

The Story

I was fortunate to meet with Deirdre before I actually photographed her. This gave me an opportunity to learn a little about her and see where she lived. I 30

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

octagonal softbox for main light

reflector for fill

A Cold Night in Philly CASE STUDY #5

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

Kodak EPP

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING: OTHER:

f/8 at 1 second Hensel 1200ws power pack with Wafer 100 softbox

flash lights, blankets, mirror, tripod, and cable release

Assignment

onto the set. I shot about three rolls and called it a

This was a publicity photograph for a play, Rose Selavy

rap. The models were getting too cold to stay out any

Takes a Lover in Philadelphia, by Whit McLaughlin. It

longer—and I had the shot. (Note: I also brought extra

promoted the play for the Philadelphia Fringe festival.

batteries for my strobe; they drain faster in the cold.)

(Note: Rose Selavy was a 1920s portrait taken by Man Ray in collaboration with Marcel Duchamp; likewise,

Tips

this image was a collaborative effort.)

For nighttime shots, bring a good flashlight so you can see what you’re doing (and as a focus-assist light on

Visual Objective

your subjects). In addition, you should know how to

Before the shoot, Whit gave me a general idea of what

lock up your camera mirror to avoid vibration—and

the play was about. We agreed it was important to

don’t forget your cable release. If you do, shoot using

have the Philadelphia skyline in the background and a

the self-timer so you are not touching the camera dur-

night shot was essential to create the drama.

ing the exposure. Since I was working on a bridge and doing a long exposure, I also brought a five-pound

Posing

weight to steady my tripod—and we waited to shoot

In theatrical publicity photography, I find that exag-

until there wasn’t any traffic.

gerated gestures work best. I wanted Mary look vulnerable, so I used a fetal position. Aaron was there to

city lights in background

protect and comfort Mary, so he sat up looking directly into the lens while gently stroking Mary’s hair.

The Story

When working with a theater group, you can expect medium softbox for main light

plenty of volunteers to help transport equipment. For this shoot, we picked the warmest night in March (around 40 degrees), and shot on the University Avenue Bridge over the Schuylkill river in downtown Philadelphia. We set up the lights and chairs, then I shot some test Polaroids before Mary and Aaron came 32

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

camera on tripod

Rudolf and Owen CASE STUDY #6

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

50mm

FILM:

Kodak Plus X

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/16 at 1/125 second Luz 1200 power pack (no longer available) with medium Chimera softbox

Assignment

Like virtually all of the fathers I approached to be pho-

This image of sculptor Rudolf Serra and his son Owen

tographed with their sons, he said yes.

was taken for my first book, Fathers and Sons (Abbeville Press, 1989) and later licensed to an ad agency

Tips

for an American Express ad.

When shooting environmental portraits remain conscious of the place where you are working. There are

Visual Objective

always visual clues about the person you are photo-

This image fell into place when I entered Rudolf ’s

graphing. Ask questions and try to involve the person

studio/home in Manhattan. I always think of sculp-

in the creative process. It builds trust and helps them

tors as big kids who still like to play in the mud and

feel more comfortable in front of the camera. That

create wonderfully unique objects. My objective was

said, you must still remember that you are the direc-

to create a spirited, playful image of a father and son.

tor during the photo shoot; your subjects will respond better when you give them direction.

Posing

This was an easy one. I asked if Rudolf could get on the floor, on the same level as his son, and give the boy some squeezes. I also liked his tennis shoes so I had him put his feet out so I could see the soles of his shoes. This look was exaggerated by the selection of a

30-degree grid on artwork

wide-angle lens.

The Story

Anytime I photograph artists, I find the session fun and creative; they understand the process and are willing to try just about anything. It is a real collaboration. This image was taken at the beginning of my Fathers and Sons project, when I was trying to find at least five artists and their sons to photograph. I had gotten Rudolf ’s name from a fellow artist in Soho.

34

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

medium softbox for main light

Take Me Out to the Ballpark

CASE STUDY #7

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c LENS:

FILM: EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

50mm

Kodak Plus X

f/8 at 1/60 second

Norman 200B portable strobe bounced into an 8-inch white umbrella

Assignment

happened. This is way before security got “tough,”

As you might have guessed, this is also part of my “Fa-

and even though I had a case with lights, a light stand

thers and Sons” project. Peter Davis, documentary

and a camera case, the ticket taker just took my ticket.

filmmaker and writer, posed for me with his sons Jesse

New York City is so media saturated that setting up a

and Nicholas at Shea Stadium.

mini studio in the stands of a major-league ballpark drew no attention. Since we shot before the game

Visual Objective

started everyone left us alone. In today’s security cli-

In environmental portraits, I am always looking for

mate, I don’t think we could pull it off, though.

geometrical shapes and lines. Here, the long curve created by the stadium wall and the baselines converging

Tips

toward home plate draw your eye to the family. To

Whenever you shoot in a public location it is a good

make the subjects stand out from the crowd I lit them

idea to get permission. There is always the fear of a li-

with a portable strobe light.

ability by the property owner if someone should get hurt. (On that note, it is also important to have good

Posing

commercial photography insurance that will cover you

I wanted to show the sense of place, so I had them

in case of an accident or potential lawsuit.) Also, be

turn away from the field and lean toward the camera.

sure to carry model and property releases if you intend

I also had Jesse (in the foreground) place his hand on

to sell your images commercially.

his father’s hand to connect the two. I had Peter and Nicholas hold programs to give them something to do with their hands and build on the sense of place. sunlight

The Story

Before the shoot, we talked about locations and agreed that going to Shea Stadium would not only be fun but appropriate for the subject matter.

Normally, I try to get permission before shooting on location, but the Mets organization is so big and

white umbrella

guarded that I decided to just go as fan and see what LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

37

Hockey on the Sea CASE STUDY #8

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM: EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

Kodak Plus X

f/8 at 1/15 second

Luz 1200 pack with medium Chimera light bank OTHER:

Assignment

Gitzo tripod

My assistant and I set up in about an hour, worked

For my “Fathers and Sons” project, I contacted Gor-

out who should be where, and did several test shots

die Howe. He and his sons agreed to a session on their

before bringing the family to the boat. At that point,

boat in the New Jersey shore.

I knew I had only about twenty minutes of good background light. Because of my preparation, though, this

Visual Objective

was more than enough time. The Howes liked the

Gordie and all but one of his sons were professional

short session and seemed to have fun. (The real treat

hockey players, but I wanted to capture them away

was when they asked my assistant and I to have dinner

from the ice. I wanted a clean background with just a

with them. They were cooking up the fish they had

suggestion of the environment—the fishing rod.

caught that morning—and it was a great meal.)

Posing

Tips

Group portraits always pose logistical challenges. Since

Extension cords were key to this successful shoot. I

this photograph is about the patriarch, I placed Gordie

didn’t own a portable pack at the time, so I ran a 100-

in the center, surrounded by his sons. The fishing chair

foot extension cord from the boat to the outlet on the

presented the perfect way to accomplish this. Once I

dock. Today I still travel with extension cords, giving

placed Gordie in the chair I arranged his sons. Marty

me an option if my portable pack dies (provided there

held the top of the chair, Mark placed his left hand on

is an outlet nearby).

Murray’s shoulder, and Murray placed his right hand on Gordie’s shoulder. This created a visual flow of

sunset behind subjects

hands that leads to Gordie’s face. I had Gordie rest his hands on his lap, anchoring the group.

The Story

Not knowing what to expect, I brought all my equipment to the family’s condo on the ocean. When they

medium softbox

mentioned that they had caught some fish early that morning, a light bulb went off: I realized I had to photograph them on the boat at dusk.

LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

39

Take Five CASE STUDY #9

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c LENS:

FILM: EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

50mm

Kodak Plus X

f/11 at 1/8 second

large Chimera light bank OTHER:

tripod

Assignment

The Story

If you haven’t figured it out yet, working on a per-

The only time Dave and his family were all free and in

sonal portrait project allows you the opportunity to

the same place was a week before Christmas. Fortu-

meet your heroes. For my “Fathers and Sons” proj-

nately, Dave only lives a couple of hours north of New

ect, I had photographed Alan Arkin. He was friends

York City and I was free that day. By the time I got

with jazz musician Dave Brubeck and suggested I con-

there with my assistant, Jo Caress, it was dark and the

tact him for the book. Score!

home was filled with holiday lights. It was very festive and the Brubecks were gracious hosts.

Visual Objective

Capturing the family dynamics is always one of my vi-

Tips

sual objectives; each son has their own identity and re-

When photographing a large group you need a large

lationship to their father. In truth, though, the portrait

light modifier. Because four of the sons wore glasses,

is as much about me as it is about the Brubecks. Once

I used a boom stand to raise the light about three feet

I was happy with the placement, I would “let the cam-

above the subjects to avoid causing reflections.

era roll” and try and capture their dynamic.

To capture the ambiance of a large room, try dragging the shutter, as I did here. Once you focus, turn

Posing

off the modeling light to avoid recording subject

When I arrived at their home, I noticed that Dave and

movement, unless that is the effect you want.

his son Daniel were wearing black shirts. That started me thinking about a keyboard—black keys surrounded by white keys. This concept, although not obvious, was the driving force of my placement of the family. (It also helped that Dave was wearing a white belt.)

I also used the steps behind the family to stagger their heights. Then, I had them bend their knees to create a more casual look. The final touch was hand placement—and the key was having Dave crossing his

large softbox

arms. This set the tone for the rest of the portrait’s family dynamic.

LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

41

“But Soft, What Light Through Yonder Window Breaks?”

CASE STUDY #10

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c LENS:

FILM: EXPOSURE: LIGHTING: OTHER:

80mm

Kodak Plus X

f/5.6 at 1/60 second

beauty dish with grid; two gobos

ladder (for elevated camera angle)

Assignment

challenge to photograph a baby, but being able to

This is actually my sister Lisa and my seven-month-old

place the infant in the mother’s arms will make your

niece Ali. They had come to New York City to visit

job much easier. You should also have in mind some

me and see my studio—and whenever family comes to

strategies to engage the baby—unusual sounds (not

visit, I make sure to make time to photograph them.

too scary, though) often work well. Then, be patient

(Note: If you decide to pursue portrait photography,

and ready to catch the fleeting moment when it oc-

photographing your family is a great place to start.)

curs. In this instance it was Lisa tickling her feet that

When photographing a mother and daughter, you

made the moment.

could go in many directions. I decided to be creative and use natural light—sort of. (This is, of course,

Tips

hinted at by the title of this case study, a quote from

This was a more difficult lighting situation than you

Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.)

might expect. To maintain the look of the highlights on the floor I had to keep the strobe light from wash-

Visual Objective

ing them out. To do this, I used a beauty dish with a

While I was waiting for Lisa and Ali to arrive at my

grid and a gobo to block the light from the floor.

studio I started to notice the light patterns forming on the floor—the shapes looked like pillows. When my subjects arrived, I immediately went into action. I set

gobo

down some pillows on the floor and metered, then asked them to lie down on the pillows so I could start shooting before the natural light changed. window

Posing Technique

This pose was created around the window light. I set gobo

down the pillows to mirror the window highlights.

The two pillows propped Lisa up comfortably and

beauty dish with 30-degree grid

camera on ladder

made it easy for her to hold the baby. It is always a LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

43

Puff the Magic Dragon CASE STUDY #11

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

Kodak Plus X

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/8 at 1/15 second Luz 800ws power pack with one head and a medium softbox; additional light with grid on background

Assignment

a father and son are at odds with each other. Surpris-

Photographing musicians has always been a large part

ingly, he brought out some play guns. I photographed

of my personal work, and Peter Yarrow (of Peter and

them back-to-back as if they were ready to duel. It was

Paul and Mary) was on my list. Like his music and so-

worth a try—so be sure to keep an open mind and col-

cial convictions, Peter and his son Christopher, were

laborate with your subjects.

very tender and intense to photograph.

Tips Visual Objective

This is the first case study to use a second light, added

Walking into Peter’s Manhattan apartment was like

to illuminate the fireplace and statue. Without it, there

walking into the rain forest. It was filled with tropical

would have been no separation of my subjects from

plants and Central American artifacts. I was given a

the background.

warm welcome by Peter and Christopher and sensed

You’ll also note that I chose a slow shutter speed

they had a loving relationship. My objective was to

to capture the candles burning. I am not sure it was

combine these elements, so I dragged plants to the

worth it, though; they are difficult to see against the

fireplace, lit candles, and placed a stool in the scene.

light background. I try to use every light source in the frame, though. It is my obsession.

Posing

I had Christopher sit on Peter’s lap as if he were cradling him. Then, I had them place their arms around each other and hold hands. The shape this created with their arms formed a heart. I also broke one of my own rules and placed the statue directly behind

30-degree grid on background, angled down from three feet above subjects

Peter and Christopher’s head. I felt this helped tell the story of the spiritual side of Peter.

The Story

The image you see was the first idea and the one I liked the best. Peter also wanted to show another side of their relationship—the not uncommon side where 44

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

medium softbox

The Real Judge CASE STUDY #12

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM: EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

Fuji RDP 100

f/8 at 1/125 second

two Luz 800ws power heads and three heads (medium softbox as main light; medium softbox as background light; 40-degree grid as hair light)

Assignment

right in with the question, “What was your most chal-

I was called by the University of Wisconsin to photo-

lenge case?” Normally, I would start off with small

graph a New York County Supreme Court judge, the

talk, but for some reason I was inspired to get right to

Hon. Richard B Lowe III, for the cover of their alum-

the heart of my curiosity—and most people like talk-

ni magazine.

ing about themselves when being photographed. The judge thought for a while and started telling me about

Visual Objective

a class-action suit that was just settled by General Mo-

I knew this was going to be for a magazine cover, so I

tors. The details gave me a new appreciation for class-

had to keep that in mind for the layout. I was looking

action lawyers.

to create an image of a successful alumnus that showed authority and grace. The obvious location for the por-

Tips

trait was at the judge’s bench, but rather than have

When possible, I research my subject before I photo-

him sitting in his chair, obscured behind the towering

graph them, something that has been made much eas-

bench, I had him sit on top of the bench. The gavel,

ier by the Internet. When photographing a celebrity

flag, and background drive home the message. I was

or CEO, befriending their assistant can also provide a

relieved when the judge had no problem sitting on his

wealth of information. I use whatever information I

bench (some might not have gone for it).

get to help guide the conversation.

Posing

The best way to depict authority is to shoot up at your medium softbox

subject from a low angle. Sometimes called a hero shot, this makes the subject being bigger than life.

Showing grace was the other half of the equation, and having him place his right hand over his left gives the

20-degree grid spot

impression of being in control and at ease.

The Story

large softbox

I was sort of in awe when I entered the judge’s chambers—and very curious. After introductions I started LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

47

Lights, Camera, Action CASE STUDY #13

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

50mm

FILM:

Fuji RDP 100

EXPOSURE:

f/8 at 1/15 second

LIGHTING: two 800ws strobe packs and one Norman 200B portable pack (medium light bank as main; 30-degree grid bouncing off ceiling; slaved portable strobe in ticket booth)

Assignment

Tips

Theo Kalomirakis is an entrepreneur who was building

The glass in the background of this shot presented a

high-end home theaters for the rich and famous. My

challenge. Fortunately, I always travel with black cloth,

assistant and I traveled to one of his sites outside New

BlackWrap, and large black cards (cut and folded). I

York City to do this shoot for Manhattan Inc. maga-

use them as gobos, employing clamps to mount them

zine (no longer in existence).

on light stands. This reduced the reflections.

I also travel with flashes that can be slaved (i.e., trig-

Visual Objective

gered remotely) to illuminate small areas—in this case,

This was a fun and challenging assignment. The the-

the ticket booth.

ater was gorgeous—it was hard to believe it was in

Finally, to record the neon marquee I dragged my

someone’s home—and Theo was easygoing. I pho-

shutter. More importantly, I turned off the fluorescent

tographed Theo throughout the theater, sitting down,

lights that illuminated the poster to avoid a green

standing up etc., but I needed an opening shot for the

color cast.

article. I wanted a fun shot that said “going to the theater.” What made sense to me was to place him outside the theater with the posters and ticket booth (I also

gobo

thought about placing him in the booth, but decided

bounced off white ceiling

it wouldn’t work). The challenge was shooting in mixed light and with glass in the background.

Posing Technique

Since this was the opening shot for the article, I was thinking that the art director could place this image on the left-facing page and have space to the right of Theo for copy. I also decided it would be fun to have Theo holding popcorn and movies to keep his hands busy. I had him sideways and turned in toward the camera to close the imaginary triangle created by the marquee and his left elbow.

48

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

bounced off red curtain gobo

bounced off white ceiling softbox

softbox

The Fourth Round CASE STUDY #14

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

Fuji RDP 100

EXPOSURE:

f/8 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING: Luz 800ws strobe packs and a large Chimera softbox on a boom stand; large white reflector on posing table

Assignment

I had to try this at the end of the session when Ashley

One of my clients in the ’90s was a celebrity stock

was a bit tired and her defenses were a bit down. I felt

agency called Shooting Star. Periodically, they would

that it was at this moment I might capture a more au-

send rising stars to my studio to be photographed for

thentic portrait of Ashley.

public relations and celebrity stock. Ashley Sayers was one of the up-and-comers that I got to photograph.

Tip

When you are shooting for a client, take the photoVisual Objective

graphs they want first. Then, give yourself time to take

Acting is a very difficult field to succeed in—and even

the photographs you want. They are paying your bills,

more challenging for children, who are more vulner-

but if you neglect your needs you will regret it later.

able to the fleeting fame. I wanted to illustrate the

Most of the images in my portfolio are the ones that

toughness and the tenderness of a child actor in visu-

landed on the editing floor of the photo editor.

ally clean and concise way.

When working with child actors, get them involved by asking about their favorite actors and movies. Ask

Posing

them to imitate their favorite movie scenes or sing

A simple stool and posing table can be very effective

their favorite songs from Broadway. It’s a lot of fun.

for controlling your subject’s movements. For this tight shot, it allowed Ashley to rest her elbows on the table and cradle her head with the red boxing gloves.

40-degree grid spot as hair light

The Story

Ashley brought wardrobe and props to the session and was enthusiastic, following directions well. Within the first hour we had enough photographs for all her pubwhite reflector

lic relation needs. Still, I felt I hadn’t gotten “the” shot, so I went into my prop bin and pulled out a pair of man-size boxing gloves.

I wasn’t sure how Ashley would react but, being the consummate professional, she cooperated. I knew 50

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

softbox

softbox

An Acerbic Wit CASE STUDY #15

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

Fuji RTP 100

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/5.6 at 1/15 second Luz 800ws with spun glass over the grid; 20-degree grid with black foil

affixed to the reflector to create a triangular shadow on the background

Assignment

Tips

Channel 4 of London was doing a documentary with

This was a situation where I had to alter the environ-

the author, journalist, and literary critic Christopher

ment to create a more intriguing portrait. As I men-

Hitchens. They needed a promotional image of Chris-

tioned, the apartment was pretty plain, and Hitchens

topher to promote the program.

was under a deadline. To spice it up, I decided to shoot tungsten film—even though there was daylight

Visual Objective

streaming in from the windows. The trick is to convert

Hitchens is a controversial writer. I wanted to illus-

your daylight strobe on the subject to a tungsten color

trate this by creating a somewhat mysterious environ-

balance with a CTO (color temperature orange) gel.

ment and using a slight tilt of the camera.

This keeps the light color balanced on the subject while allowing the daylight to go blue.

The Story

The image was photographed in a typically small, nondescript New York City apartment—not the type you see on television. When I arrived, Hitchens was working on a deadline and didn’t have much time. After looking around the apartment for a location, I decided 30-degree grid with black wrap attached to cast shadow on wall

the best location was right where he was sitting. I told him to continue working at his laptop and when we 30-degree grid

were ready I would let him know.

After we set up, I asked Christopher to give me five minutes, which he did. I snapped away, and after about three rolls I was finished. He said thanks and went back to work on his laptop.

Posing

There was not much prompting on my end. When I asked him to turn and face the camera, he clasped his hands and looked up at me. That was it.

52

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

AstroTurf and a Rising Star CASE STUDY #16

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

Kodak E100 SW

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING: OTHER:

®

f/8 at 1/125 second Comet 1200ws power pack with Profoto octagon softbox on a Bogen boom stand

Ladder for high camera angle

Assignment

expression for my concept. The publicist used the one

I had gotten a call from my agent in Los Angeles to

of her grinning. (Note: The image was on my old web

photograph the up-and-coming child actress Hallee

site for years and seemed to get more hits than any

Hirsch for publicity photos. My objective was to cre-

other image . . . hmm.)

ate a contemporary Hollywood portrait.

Tips The Story

Props are fun and can be an inspiration. Props can also

When Hallee came to my studio with her father she

drive a concept, as noted in this example. The key to

had just finished playing in a movie, One True Thing,

props is getting them organized. I suggest placing

with Meryl Streep. She had been performing since she

them in file boxes and clearly labeling the contents.

was two and was a natural to photograph.

When the inspiration hit during a shoot, you can then

Going through the wardrobe she brought, I no-

go back to your storage area and pick the right prop.

ticed this odd AstroTurf-like sweater. As it happened,

If you don’t have the space or inclination to shop for

I had just shot a brochure for a golf company the week

props, you can also rent from prop houses or do what

before and had a 4 x 6-foot piece of AstroTurf in stor-

prop stylists do—go to the store, purchase the item

age. I was also thinking of Shakespeare’s Ophelia (per-

on a credit card, then return it after the shoot.

haps because of Hallee’s flowing hair). I explained to Hallee my idea to have her play Ophelia with a twist and she was into it. I had my assistant run out and get daisies while Hallee changed into the green sweater. I set up the ladder and we began shooting.

Posing

Since this was a low budget shoot—no prop or hair stylist—I had my assistant fan out her hair. I wanted the hair to look as if it were floating on water. I also wanted the image to look playful so I had Hallee hold one of the daisies while her other hand played with her hair. The smirk was by accident but I felt was the right 54

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

softbox on boom stand angled down toward subject

reflector

camera on ladder

Five-Minute Pit Stop CASE STUDY #17

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

50mm

FILM:

Fuji RDP 100

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/8 at 1/60 second Norman 200B through a white umbrella

Assignment

rescent lights in the background were a happy acci-

Sports figures were also a key group I gathered for my

dent; they suggest the idea of movement.

“fathers and sons” project. I can’t remember who gave me Mario Andretti’s number, but I was sure grateful.

Tips

When time is limited, you must have everything in The Story

place so you can concentrate on shooting. Of course,

Mario’s schedule was so busy that the only opportu-

this is easier when you are working for yourself and

nity for a session was with his son Michael—and it

don’t have to satisfy a client. In instances like this, I

would have to be right before Michael’s trial run for

use the tripod to restrict me from shooting too many

the Indy 500. I said “no problem”—totally disregard-

angles. This lets me concentrate on getting the right

ing the logistics of getting there.

pose and looking for the right moment.

When I met Mario, he was friendly and told me to

This is a good example of underplaying the fill

find a place to set up; Michael would be there in

flash. I metered the flash at f/5.6, a stop under the

twenty minutes. I quickly saw the racecar hoods sit-

ambient highlight exposure, to lighten up the shad-

ting on end (6 and 6x) and thought they would make

ows. This reduced the contrast but didn’t give the

a great frame for the father and son. I set up my light,

“flash” look. It gave the image a grittier feel, which is

set my camera on a tripod, and took light readings.

what I wanted for these road warriors.

When Michael arrived, we had five minutes for the shoot before his time trial. I went through about four rolls of 120 film and it was over. I thanked them for the time and wished them all the best. Mario gave his son a kiss on the lips and turned to me and said, “I always do that since I know I may never see him again.”

Posing

I wanted to build on the symmetry of the racecar hoods and have Michael and Mario mirror each other.

Having them place their hands on their hips showed confidence and portrayed them as heroes. The fluo56

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

white umbrella

Chairman of the Board CASE STUDY #18

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

Fuji RDP 100

EXPOSURE:

f/8 at 1/15 second

LIGHTING: 1200ws pack with two heads (medium softbox for main light; 30-degree grid with 1/2 CTO filter for hair light)

Assignment

illusion of a backlight, I also used a hard sidelight

This was an editorial assignment for the business mag-

(with a warming gel and a grid spot), set one stop

azine Success. The subject was Aaron Gold, CEO of

brighter than the key light.

Oxford company.

As an aside, I was once photographing a CEO who told me he only had five minutes to spare. I took one

Visual Objective

photograph and said, “Thanks, that is all I need.” The

In this image, I wanted to convey a sense of determi-

CEO seemed surprised and said, “That’s all you need?

nation and defiance, building on the concept of gold

What if the photograph doesn’t come out?” I ex-

(from the subject’s name).

plained to him that I needed more than five minutes to take a good portrait and if he wasn’t willing to give

The Story

me more time, I would take my chances. We both

This was my first assignment from Success magazine

laughed and he decided to give me a half hour.

and I was excited. I had been working with Forbes and Business Week and was looking forward to broadening my business-magazine client base. I had gotten a draft of the story about Gold and was very impressed. He

gobo

was voted out of his company when he did not like the board’s decision to change course. Before long, the company’s mismanagement drove it to near bank-

30-degree grid

ruptcy. Then, Gold came back, worked twenty hours a day for six months, suffered a heart attack, came back after a week, continued to work. When I took his portrait, the company had grown to have two hundred employees and $400 million in assets. Wow! Tips

When I had got to Gold’s office, I noticed the light patterns coming through the curtains. To pull in these patterns, I dragged my shutter. In order to create the 58

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

medium softbox

Business Titan CASE STUDY #19

CAMERA: LENS:

FILM:

Canon F1

85mm f/2.8

Fuji RDP transparency film EXPOSURE:

f/8 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING: Luz 800ws pack with two strobe heads (medium softbox for the main light; umbrella for the backlight)

Assignment

had him take off his jacket and lean on the desk, then

BusinessWeek called me to photograph Henry Kravis, a

did some GQ-style shots with his jacket over his shoul-

managing partner of Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts & Co.,

der (which looked silly). The session lasted about ten

which was a major leverage buyout firm in the 1980s.

minutes, then we shook hands and he left.

Visual Objective

Tips

My goal was to show confidence and wealth. I also

Time is money in business—and the wealthier your

wanted to find a strong pattern for the background.

subject is, the less time they seem to have to be photographed. The key to a successful corporate shoot is

Posing

being decisive. Know what you want and don’t be

When I photograph CEOs, there is always a great desk

afraid to tell the subject.

in the room. This was no exception, and the desk be-

On these shoots, be careful of what you talk about.

came the anchor for Kravis to lean on. To create a look

Don’t pretend you know a lot about the stock mar-

of confidence I had him place his hand on his hip.

ket, leverage buyouts, or municipal bonds. If you touch upon a personal connection (family, hobbies,

The Story

etc.) the subject will usually stay a little longer.

When my assistant and I arrived at the location his secretary led us to his office and told us that Kravis would arrive in half an hour. I wasn’t sure how much time Kravis was going to give me; since I might only have time for one setup and I wanted to imply wealth.

His office was filled with antiques and oil paintings.

I saw the painting of the two genteel Englishmen and their horses and decided that would help narrate the photo. We moved the 200-pound desk so that I could

gobo umbrella on back wall medium softbox

place Kravis between the painting and the strong vertical inlay on the wall. After my second Polaroid, he walked in. I had been hoping for more time, but we shook hands and he asked what I wanted him to do. I LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

61

Cognitive Bow Tie

CASE STUDY #20

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS: FILM:

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

120mm macro

120 color infrared film rated at ISO 200 f/8 at 1/125 second

1200ws Profoto pack and one head with a medium softbox OTHER:

yellow (Kodak #12) filter

Assignment

about his personal life—when he first started wearing

Brown Alumni Magazine (Brown University) was

one, when he met his wife, etc. I believe the bow tie

doing a special issue on the top one-hundred gradu-

broke the ice; I wasn’t sure how he’d react to the idea

ates. They assigned me to photograph Aaron T. Beck,

of sitting on an old wooden chair in front of a hedge,

the father of cognitive therapy.

but he said it was “interesting.” You never know what line of conversation will loosen up your subject. Tak-

Visual Objective

ing notice of the small details about your subject

When I arrived at Dr. Beck’s home, I noticed this

shows that you are paying attention.

great, tall, green hedge next to his home. I thought that using it as a backdrop for him sitting in a chair

Tips

would create a surreal effect.

Although the magazine used the image I shot with normal film I have always felt the color infrared image

Posing

was much stronger. If you are interested in learning

To emphasize the unnatural setting, I used a tradi-

how to use it, check out my book The Art of Color In-

tional corporate pose, having my subject place his

frared Photography, also from Amherst Media.

elbow on the arm of a chair and interweave his fingers.

The Story

This was a fun assignment for me since I was teaching at the University of Pennsylvania at the time and Dr. Beck was an eminent scholar there. Alumni publications don’t pay very well, so I recruited my wife Kate (a Penn alumna) to assist me. I didn’t know much about cognitive therapy and realized it would be foolish of me to pretend I did since I was photographing the father of the discipline. In my research on Dr.

medium softbox

Beck, though, I did notice he always liked to wear a bow tie. So that’s how I started the conversation. He laughed when I asked him about it and started to tell LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

63

Folly with Caddie

CASE STUDY #21

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM: EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

Assignment

120 Fuji RVP

f/8 at 1/15 second

Luz 800ws pack; one head with a beauty dish

After packing up, I dropped the film off at the lab

This portrait was taken for New York Magazine. The

and rushed a clip test. I judged the clip that evening

subject is Caddie Huffman, costar of the hit Broad-

and rush-processed the four rolls for morning deliv-

way musical The Will Rogers Follies.

ery. The following morning I edited the film and sent my selects to the photo editor—very different than the

Visual Objective

digital workflow of today, but just as time consuming.

My goal was to capture the bright lights and excitement of being backstage at a Broadway musical.

Tips

When photographing a celebrity, getting friendly with Posing

their publicist can increase your access and provide

Caddie was a natural to photograph. I tried many

some real insight to the person you are photograph-

poses with her, but having her sit on her dressing table

ing. (In this case, I even got two complimentary tick-

was the best. With all the clutter and bright lights in

ets to the show.) Also, when you know you will be

the background, her scrunched-up position tightened

limited by time, it’s best to work out all the details be-

the frame and drew the viewer to her great smile.

fore you get to the location.

The Story

When the photo editor at New York Magazine called, I learned they needed a shot taken the same evening, before the show, and film the next morning. I arrived an hour before Ms. Huffman went on stage and had to setup and shoot within a half-hour. Knowing this beforehand, I decided to keep it simple and use one light with the beauty dish. This turned out to be the right thing to do. Her dressing room was about 8 x 8beauty dish

feet and filled with costumes and props; there wasn’t much room for more than two people, let alone lights and an assistant. I shot four rolls before I felt I got the shot—and before I ran out of time.

LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

65

Drummer’s Dream CASE STUDY #22

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

120 Kodak EPR

EXPOSURE:

f/11 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING: Luz 1600ws pack with medium softbox as main light; medium softbox on drums behind the subject; 30-degree grid backlighting subject’s head; 30-degree grid with red gel on columns; 30-degree grid on drums

Assignment

Tips

This portrait of jazz drummer Max Roach was created

I found all the visual props I could ever have wanted

for New York Magazine. My goal was to portray Mr.

in the sound studio. Before I started moving anything,

Roach with his drums in a visually dynamic way.

though, I cleared it with the manager. I also took a Polaroid so that I could put back all the drums where

Posing

they were originally placed (you could, of course, do

Whenever you photograph a musician with his instru-

the same thing today with a digital image). I learned

ment, the rest falls into place. In this case, we were

this when I started shooting architecture and would

shooting in the sound studio where he was rehears-

sometimes have to move furniture to create a stronger

ing. I wanted to emphasize the repetition of the sim-

image. I have also learned—the hard way—to ask be-

ilar round shapes so I shot from above looking down.

fore I move anything in a shot. When I was photo-

I selected a telephoto lens to tighten the proximity of

graphing composer Philip Glass at his home, his com-

the shapes.

posing area was a mess with scores, music paper, and books. I started straightening up to create a “clean

The Story

shot” when Mr. Glass walked in and looked at me

Mr. Roach had recently returned from Japan, where

aghast. I’ll never do that again.

he was playing and living with the Kodo drummers on Sado Island. He was inspired by his trip and brought back some traditional Japanese drums (those are the colorful ones in the background). He was already at the studio when I arrived with my assistant, so I asked him to play while we set up. When I was done, I sig-

30-degree grid spot with red gel on column

nalled him to stop and asked him about his trip to Japan. He lit up and started to describe the experience.

Then I just asked him to smile, took a couple of rolls,

30-degree grid spot for backlight on subject’s head

30-degree grid spot on drums

and gave him my thanks. He continued to play while we broke down the lights and packed. When I waved good by, he stopped playing, said it was a real pleasure, and went back to drumming. That was cool.

66

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

medium softbox

The Gun Club CASE STUDY #23

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

120 Fuji RDP

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/11 at 1/125 second three Luz 800ws power packs with four strobe heads; two softboxes

Assignment

Posing

I was looking for distinctive families when the pub-

This was a very challenging setup. I was dealing with

lisher of my Fathers and Sons book referred me to the

strong vertical lines (the white columns) and all kinds

Wilson clan. Larry Wilson (a.k.a., R.L. Wilson), who

of background distractions. The first thing I did was

is shown standing on the left, had published a book

anchored the grandfather in a chair, then surround

with them titled Colt: An American Legend.

him with his son and grandsons. I (very!) carefully positioned the rifles to avoid any of them seeming to pro-

Visual Objective

trude from the heads or bodies. Finally, I shot from

Since Mr. Wilson is one of the most published authors

above the family looking down to create separation

in arms collecting, it only made sense to photograph

from the back column and Larry’s head.

him, with his father and sons, bearing arms.

Tips The Story

Environmental portraiture is always challenging, so

When I arrived at Mr. Wilson’s home in Connecticut

take some time to process the surroundings and visu-

I saw the amazing collection of arms, racecars (he had

alize how it relates to your subject.

a Formula-1 car in his living room), and hunting trophies scattered throughout the home. There was so much to take in that it was difficult to frame a portrait at first. It was only when I met his father, a noted bounce light on balcony off ceiling

bookbinder, that I finally got centered and realized what my frame would be.

I realized that he needed to be the center of group, so my assistant and I moved the furniture—elephantfoot ottomans, Formula-1 racecars, the usual stuff— and set up the lights . . . many lights. (Note: The

bounce light on balcony off ceiling

balcony was a real asset in setting up the background lights.) Once we were all set up, we brought the fammedium softbox

ily in, set them in their places, and began the photo session.

68

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

large softbox

The Beach Umbrella CASE STUDY #24

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

50mm

FILM:

120 Fuji RDP

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/8 at 1/125 second Norman 200B with white umbrella

Assignment

Tips

Another image I created in the course of my “Fathers

Working on sandy beaches with strobe lights can be-

and Sons” project was of Tom Midgley and his son.

come a nightmare if you are not properly equipped. I always bring a weight—either an empty sandbag that

Visual Objective

you can fill at the beach, a gallon jug (with a hook)

My objective was to create an image that would reflect

that you fill with ocean water, or a Bogen super clamp

a sense of openness and security.

with a U-hook you can hang the power pack on. In addition, I bring large plastic garbage bags to place

Posing

over my camera bag, strobe pack, and any other equip-

I wanted to portray security in this relationship, but

ment I need to keep sand off. Finally, be sure to pack

Tom’s son was a bit too big to put in his lap. I decided

a can of compressed air and a digital sensor cleaner.

it would reveal more about growing up if his son was sitting on the arm of the chair.

The Story

It is difficult to stay away from the beach when I am in Los Angeles—and yet, up to this point in my “Fathers and Sons” project, I had not photographed any of the Los Angeles fathers and sons on the beach.

When I got this opportunity to photograph Tom Midgley and his son on the beach, I was excited.

My assistant Martin Semjen (a friend, not a photographer) and I dragged the gear, chair, and umbrella across the beach to the perfect spot. We had about a half hour to set up before the sun would be setting, which left me about fifteen minutes of good twilight to shoot. Tom and his son arrived as the sun was setting behind the bluff and I started shooting. About five minutes after the sun had dropped I got my shot.

70

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

shoot-through white umbrella

Yankee Stadium CASE STUDY #25

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

Kodak 120 EPP

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/8 at 1/15 second

Luz 800ws power pack with large Plume softbox to light family; 30-degree grid to light uniform and Mr. John’s face

Assignment

gum. Rather than having them spit it out, my first in-

I wanted to photograph some athletes for my “Fathers

stinct, I decided to have a contest. I asked them to see

and Sons” project, so I wrote to the Yankees’ front of-

who could blow the biggest bubble. That was the

fice to ask if there were any baseball players I could

shot.

photograph for a book I was working on. To my surprise and delight, they got back to me and suggested

Tips

Tommy John. Not only was he a great pitcher, he was

People always ask me how I got the opportunity to

also a great humanitarian who adored his family.

photograph so many famous people for this project.

This simple truth is, I asked. As a portrait photogra-

Visual Objective

pher, you can’t be shy about asking for what you want.

I wanted to capture a behind-the-scenes look at the

The worst thing that could happen is they say no and

next generation of baseball players.

you move on. I asked more than a hundred fathers and sons to sit for me, and only six declined. That is a

Posing

good percentage.

To prevent Mr. John from towering over his sons, I sat him down and placed his sons around him. The baseball bats were then added for his sons to lean on.

The Story

I arrived at Yankee stadium about an hour before the shoot and scouted around. (I have to admit, it was a

30-degree grid

thrill to walk out of the Yankees locker room onto the playing field—the same path walked by Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Micky Mantle and other baseball greats.)

large softbox

I realized that the shot I wanted to take was in the Yankee locker room. To my surprise, when the family arrived they were all wearing Yankees uniforms. I placed them into position and began shooting. While I was shooting I noticed all the boys were chewing LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

73

Vanguard Chief CASE STUDY #26

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

120mm macro FILM:

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/8 at

Kodak EPP 1/ 30

second

large softbox for the main light; white reflector for fill

Assignment

my assistant and adjusted my shutter speed until the

Business Week magazine hired me to photograph CEO

light looked balanced. Mr. Brennan soon arrived and

John Brennan of the Vanguard Group.

asked what he should do. He smiled when I told him I was going for the “James Dean look.” I took about

Visual Objective

four rolls of film in fifteen minutes, then thanked him

I wanted to place Mr. Brennan in an unbusinesslike

for his time.

environment with a strong graphic background.

Tips Posing

Hallways, lobbies, entryways, and stairwells are often

I call this the “GQ” pose. I don’t often use it, but it

more interesting than offices, so don’t overlook them

seemed to fit Mr. Brennan’s personality. What I had

in your location scouting. Reception areas also tend

read about him was that he was a real hands-on exec-

to be well decorated in high-end corporations—but to

utive who would periodically even answer calls from

shoot there, you’ll have to convince the client to close

customers—pretty impressive for a guy whose com-

down the area temporarily to avoid distractions.

pany manages hundreds of billions of dollars. The glass ledge allowed him to lean back, relaxing his pose.

The Story

When I arrived at the Vanguard headquarters (two hours before the session to ensure I’d have time to scout the location) a public relations person showed me around. It was raining, meaning working outside was not an option, so I decided to go to the cafeteria

silver reflector

for some tea—a lucky break. When I entered the top level of the high-tech cafeteria, I saw my frame: an

large softbox

overview of the entire space with exposed beams, hanging light fixtures and long glass windows.

My assistant and I set up one light (a large softbox) on a portable boom stand. I took some Polaroids of LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

75

House of John

CASE STUDY #27

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

120mm macro FILM:

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

Fuji RDP

f/5.6 at 1/125 second

Luz 800ws pack with medium softbox as main; Luz 800ws pack with reflector placed behind the subject and bounced off white ceiling

Assignment

Mahoney won the Tony award that year for his por-

Elle magazine assigned me to photograph actor John

trayal of Artie in The House of Blue Leaves.)

Mahoney.

Tips Visual Objective

Sometimes life hands you lemons and you have to

I wanted to portray a lighter side of John Mahoney,

make lemonade. When I walked into the nondescript

the everyman.

apartment, I sighed. Fortunately, the quilt, the apple, and—of course—a fun subject helped transform what

Posing

could have been a very mundane image into an inter-

This is what I call the circular pose. The positioning of

esting one. Always be on the lookout for visual ele-

Mr. Mahoney’s arms and legs forces your eye to circle

ments to complement the portrait—and never be

the subject. If you start with the apple, travel up to the

afraid to share them with your subject. I wasn’t sure

face down the left arm you end up back at the apple

how Mr. Mahoney would react when I asked him to

(read on for more on why this prop was selected).

sit in bed with an apple on his head, but he thought it was fun and creative idea. In turn, I gained his trust.

The Story

This photo session took place in a nondescript Manhattan apartment where there wasn’t much to work with but the colorful quilt. Mr. Mahoney was a teacher before he went into acting. That inspired me to use

bounced off white ceiling

apples as a prop. With these two visual elements, apples and a quilt, we improvised the whole session.

I started out by having him toss the apple, shooting with the New York City skyline in the background.

Later, I had him put on his bathrobe and get into bed, reading Shakespeare with an apple on his head—a

medium softbox

William Tell scenario.

Elle ran the image of the apple toss, but I felt the image here really captured his playfulness. (Note: Mr. LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

77

Robert Lee Morris Meets Jackson Pollack CASE STUDY #28

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

120mm macro lens

FILM:

Fuji RDP

EXPOSURE:

f/8 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING: Comet 1200ws pack (beauty dish with 30-degree grid for main light; reflector with 30-degree grid for hair light; two umbrellas on background)

Assignment

For this shot, I was agonizing over the background.

I was assigned to photograph jewelry designer Robert

Before the Internet, when this happened I would go

Lee Morris for the cover of a Fairchild Publication,

to art galleries. In this case, I stopped in a Soho gallery

Inc. magazine.

featuring a show of early Jackson Pollack and got the idea to have dripping silver paint on the backdrop. I

Visual Objective

proposed the idea to the art director and she agreed—

Mr. Morris was becoming very famous for his work

but also suggested I shoot it on a plain blue back-

in silver and gold and was known for using decon-

ground. Happily, the publication ran the shot with

structed plaster busts to display his creations. I asked

Pollack-esque backdrop.

him to bring samples of his work and a couple of busts to the session. I wanted to create a strong visual that

Tips

reflected his creativity with gold and silver.

Never be afraid to suggest ideas to your client; they hired you because of your talent and skills. They may

Posing

not always agree with your ideas, but they will appre-

It is always easier to pose your subject when they have

ciate your creative input. Of course, you should always

something to hold. This pose was centered on framing

cover yourself by shooting what the client wants.

the bust. I had Mr. Morris cradle the bust, turn sideways to the camera, and—on the count of three—turn his body toward the camera. After repeating this motion many times, he was feeling very comfortable.

The Story

There are some benefits, in addition to the notoriety, to shooting covers for publication. First, there is a spe-

umbrella on background

umbrella on background 30-degree grid for hair light

cific format; the image will be a vertical with space above the subject for the masthead. Second, the art director will be able to direct the point of view. Additionally, there is more pressure to create an arresting image to draw attention the magazine.

78

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

beauty dish with 30-degree grid for main light

Tender Tough Guy

CASE STUDY #29

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro FILM:

EXPOSURE:

Fuji RDP

f/8 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING:

Profoto 800ws pack with medium softbox as main light; silver reflector for fill; diffused 40-degree grid on background

Assignment

and so on. This simple one is still one of my favorites,

My celebrity stock agency assigned me to photograph

though. It seems to capture Mr. Assante’s personality.

the actor Armand Assante at his home. The images

At the end of a long day of shooting, Mr. Assante

were for use in promoting the actor.

invited my assistant and me to stay for dinner. He had prepared a great Italian meal, and we ended up eating

Visual Objective

and drinking until midnight.

Mr. Assante is known for his tough-guy roles, and I wanted to reflect that in his wardrobe and the texture

Tips

of the image. The black leather jacket against the mot-

Always try to create lighting that matches your sub-

tled canvas background seemed to set the stage.

ject and the mood.

Posing

Mr. Assante was a natural in front of the camera. This spun glass over 40-degree grid on background

image was created during the last setup of the day and we were all tired. This was a good thing, though, because Armand was letting down his guard in terms of posing. Having him tuck his chin in, wrap his arms around himself, and look straight into the lens produced a strong look.

The Story

This was a fun day. My assistant and I packed up the car and drove north out of New York City to Mr. As-

silver reflector for fill

medium softbox as main light

sante’s upstate New York farm. He had given me the whole day to photograph him and was open to all my ideas—which doesn’t happen too often. I set up a studio to shoot the publicity shots, then scouted around the farm and set up additional shots at the horse stable, inside the house in the library, in the living room, LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

81

Actors and Their Art CASE STUDY #30

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

50mm

FILM:

Fuji RDP

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/8 at 1/30 second three Profoto packs with four strobe heads; one softbox

Assignment

a movie star, so I asked her if she would mind chang-

I was asked to photograph actress Claire Trevor, best

ing into something more formal and she agreed. My

known for her femme-fatale roles in film noir, for a

assistant and I then set up lights while she changed.

book about actors and their art.

When Ms. Trevor came out her dressing room, she looked like a star. She was wearing a classic black dress

Visual Objective

and had adorned herself with elegant jewelry.

The author wanted a photo of Ms. Trevor painting in her art studio, which I shot. However, I found this

Tips

cinematic heroine to be so gracious and charming that

I have found that the best way to work with compli-

I wanted to create an additional image that portrayed

cated lighting setups is to break them down. Start with

her looking regal and dignified.

the main light, fill, and hair lights, then move on to lighting the background. The reading from your main

Posing

light will dictate the intensities of the other lights. The

I call this the “royal” pose. It is a traditional pose when

key light on Ms. Trevor was f/8, the bounce light

the subject sits upright, crosses their legs, and places

above her was f/11, the background light was f/8.

one hand over the other.

The Story

bounce off ceiling (back room) bounce off ceiling (side room)

Ms. Trevor lived in New York City’s Pierre Hotel and, in her retirement, was spending a lot of time painting.

When we arrived, she greeted my assistant and me warmly, wearing a painter’s smock and heels.

I had read about her career and knew she was good

bounce off ceiling (main room)

friends with John Wayne, so I asked her a lot of questions about their friendship and she spoke very candidly. It was fun and she really liked strolling down memory lane.

I got some nice portraits of her painting during that conversation but felt I needed to capture her more like 82

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

softbox as main light

Outer Sam Pan CASE STUDY #31

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

120mm macro FILM:

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

Fuji RDP

f/8 at 2 seconds

Comet 1200ws power pack with 30-degree grid for main and 20-degree grid for hair light; Lowell Total Lite

Assignment

something you’re not comfortable with. If it makes

This image was created during a test shot for my port-

your heart beat faster and your palms sweat, you know

folio. I was experimenting with motion, strobe, and

you are on your way to creating something special. Of

tungsten light.

course, you shouldn’t risk your reputation by doing this on the job; test out new techniques on your own

Visual Objective

During this session, I was working to create a dreamy image of my studio manager, Sam Verone.

time.

I try to do test shots for my portfolio, and for my personal growth as a photographer, once a month.

Many of my test shots fail, but every once in a while I

Posing

have a really great success that washes away all the

I had Sam tilt her head toward camera and look off

failed attempts.

into the distance. She stood still while I panned the camera to create the blur effect.

The Story

I was trying to perfect the motion-blur technique, mixing strobe with tungsten light—and I was fortunate enough to have an exotic-looking studio manager for my subject. I originally shot her against a black background, but it was too clean looking. So I placed

20-degree hair light

30-degree grid for main light

green and blue 4 x 8-foot foamcore panels behind Sam with a black gap between them, subtly creating greater

tungsten light

visual ambivalence. I felt the test was success, because after experimenting for about an hour I felt more confident about using this technique on an assignment.

Tips

The best way to challenge yourself as a photographer is to try out a technique that is unfamiliar to you— LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

85

Motion to Urban Earth CASE STUDY #32

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

120mm macro FILM:

EXPOSURE:

f/11 at

Fuji RDP

1/ 8

second

LIGHTING:

two Profoto 800ws power packs; large Plume softbox for main light; 30-degree grid covered by spun glass on background; 20-degree grid with blue gel highlighting drummer and sax player; tungsten light for motion

Assignment

of the image. It is important to discuss the music and

Jazz bassist Harvie Swartz hired me to photograph his

concept, but it is just as important that you make the

band Urban Earth for their upcoming CD.

final decision on the direction of the shot.

The other potential setback is financial. If you are

Visual Objective

working with the band directly, there isn’t usually a

Harvie wanted a group shot for the back cover of the

sufficient budget to produce the “big” shot the band

album—back when it was really a vinyl record. I al-

wants. It is up to you how you want to negotiate, but

ways think of Picasso’s painting Three Musicians when

try not to lose money on the shoot. Also be sure to to

I photograph a band, so I initially had in mind a re-

have a contract between you and the group specifying

creation of the painting with a fourth musician . . . but

how the images are to be used. If they have a small

it wasn’t working. Instead, I went for a spontaneous

budget, limit the usage of the image. Be sure to note

moment and tried to capture the joy of hearing Harvie

in the contract that if the image is used for any addi-

play his bass.

tional promotional venues, an additional fee needs to be paid to the photographer.

The Story

I asked the band to come to the studio and play. Unfortunately, they were still recording and were on a tight schedule so I had to have a solid plan for what I

20-degree grid with blue gel highlighting drummer and sax player

wanted. Happily, I had just done a test shoot emphasizing motion (see the previous case study), so I de-

spun glass over 30-degree grid on background

cided to apply this technique. Harvie wasn’t sure what I was up to, but when I showed him the Polaroid he loved the idea and we just kept playing. tungsten light for motion

Tip

It is great to work with musicians and fellow artists,

large softbox for main light

but it can also have drawbacks. One possible setback is getting too much subject involvement in the creation LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

87

Woody, Meet Ira

CASE STUDY #33

CAMERA:

EXPOSURE:

Hasselblad 503cw 120mm Fuji RDP

f/5.6 at 1/60 second

LIGHTING: OTHER:

LENS: FILM:

Norman 200B

81b filter to warm the open shade

Assignment

placed herself in the frame. She added an Allen-esque

Ford Times Magazine assigned me to photograph ac-

feel to the image, so we kept her in.

tors who are stand-ins for famous actors. These are people who literally stand on the set so the cinematog-

Tips

rapher and lighting crew can get set up before the star

If you intend to become a location portrait photogra-

arrives. They don’t always look like the star, but they

pher, effectively scouting locations is key to a success-

have the same build and face shape.

ful shoot. There are also professional location scouts you can hire when working outside of your familiar

Visual Objective

turf. I am always looking for interesting locations that

I wanted to create a Woody Allen–type of movie still

I will use for future shoots. Sometimes it also works

depicting Ira Sakolski, Woody Allen’s movie stand-in.

the other way around; a great location will inspire me to create a portrait shoot.

Posing

Ira was great to work with (did I mention how much fun it is to work with actors?) and had mastered Allen’s mannerisms. I had him turn around in the park bench as if it were a candid moment.

Story

A park across from the Waverly Theater on 8th Street in Manhattan was the perfect location for this shot.

spun glass over Norman 200B

You could see the Empire State building and there were always pigeons, the city mascot. We brought a bunch of breadcrumbs to attract more pigeons. While I was shooting, Mr. Sakolsky said, “Watch this.” Then, he somehow lured a pigeon to perch on his hand— that was the shot. The one mysterious aspect of this shoot was the woman in the background. No one knew her, but she seemed to follow us to the park and LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

89

Protecting Journalist CASE STUDY #34

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw LENS: FILM:

EXPOSURE:

50mm

Kodak EPP

f/8 at 1/15 second

LIGHTING:

two 800 Profoto packs; 30-degree grid as main light; two heads with black-wrap gobos on map (one with blue gel, one with green gel)

Assignment

Tips

I was assigned to photograph William A. Orme, Jr., a

The key to getting rich gel color on the desired surface

journalist and the former director of the Center for

is to isolate the other light sources. Since the main

the Protection of Journalists (CPJ), for the McCor-

light is directed toward the background, that’s the

mick Tribune Foundation Annual Report.

light that usually washes out the color. Using a grid on the main reduces spill, as will placing a gobo be-

Visual Objective

tween the reflector and the background. The result is

A serious subject requires dramatic lighting. Addi-

a richer gel color on the background.

tionally, I wanted to show the global reach of the CPJ organization and the challenges they face.

Alternately, if you have the luxury of working in a large space, then distance is your friend. Placing the key light far enough away from the background will

Posing

also prevent wash-out of the background color. The

I had Mr. Orme lean toward the camera, supporting

best way to test this is by metering your background

his weight with one hand. His other arm was posi-

without the key light and with the key light, if there is

tioned to create a strong diagonal for visual tension.

no difference in the reading, you are good to go.

The Story

Not-for-profit organizations, often understaffed and on tight budgets, usually have very basic facilities that are uninspiring for portraits. I decided to be inventive in this small conference room, which contained an old

head with black-wrap gobo and blue gel

head with black-wrap gobo and green gel

world map, some CPJ books, and a video monitor. I pulled out blue and green gels, arranged the books, and asked if there was a video clip I could play to put an image on the monitor. This was one of those mo-

30-degree grid for main light

ments that you realize the power of lighting and how it can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

The client was happy with the image and so was the CPJ, who ended up buying a print for their office.

LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

91

Not So Nude

CASE STUDY #35

CAMERA:

EXPOSURE:

Hasselblad 503cw LENS:

120mm

FILM:

Fuji RDP

f/5.6 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING:

Luz 800ws pack with large Plume light bank; Luz 800ws pack with two heads bounced off ceiling behind subjects (heads fitted with yellow gels and gobos to prevent spill on subjects)

Assignment

vent. I have actually had some of my best photo ses-

I was hired by The Nudes (Walter Parks and Stephanie

sions when working under those conditions.

Winters) to photograph them for promotion of their forthcoming music CD.

It is great when the client has a big budget, but in some ways it can also be inhibiting. There is an underlying tension in your subconscious mind that keeps

Visual Objective

telling you, “Wow, the client is giving me all this

I wanted to create warm, whimsical images of the duo.

money to create a brilliant photo—I’d better perform.” I have found that I get better results when I

Posing

brush that thought aside and instead think, “I’d bet-

This pose was spontaneous. I had set up the cello and

ter have fun doing this shoot or why bother?”

guitar in the background with the idea of posing Walter and Stephanie in a similar fashion. It looked forced, so I asked if they would stand in place and just move their hips and arms and stare into the lens. I started shooting and let them strike their own poses.

head with yellow gel and gobo bounced off ceiling

head with yellow gel and gobo bounced off ceiling

Story

One of the band’s songs was called “Arizona,” and I wanted to incorporate that in the photo. I was thinking cactus, sun, desert, etc.—but since there wasn’t any budget to work with, I had to keep it simple, I thought yellow, and instead of cactus, guitar and cello.

large light bank for main light

Adding to the theme is Stephanie’s Hopi belt buckle.

The image was never used for their CD, but a music magazine ended up using it for their cover.

Tip

I often work with little or no budget when photographing artists. This forces me to improvise and inLIGHTING CASE STUDIES

93

First Lady of Fiction

CASE STUDY #36

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

120mm macro FILM:

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/5.6 at

Fuji RDP

1/ 125

second

two Luz 800ws packs with three strobe heads; medium Chimera softbox as main light; fill lights bounced off low white ceiling OTHER:

Softar II filter

Assignment

and shot close and wide. The shoot went well and got

I was asked to photograph the author Barbara Brad-

a thumbs-up from Ms. Taylor. My only regret was not

ford Taylor for a series on celebrities and their pets for

bringing one of her books with me for her to sign.

Modern Maturity magazine. This was a fun series that sent me around the country photographing celebrities

Tip

at their homes.

When you embark on a series of portraits for a client, or even yourself, it is a good idea to establish a style of

Visual Objective

shooting. Whether it’s using a specific type of lens or

To create an image that portrays success and wealth.

the same background, this repeated element becomes the visual thread that holds the story together. Estab-

Posing

lishing a particular style of shooting can also become

I felt that positioning Ms. Taylor on the couch and

your marketing vehicle to assignment work. It allows

turning her torso toward camera would allow her to sit

buyers of photography to identify you by the work you

comfortably while handling her dog, Gem. It also al-

produce.

lowed me to shoot at a downward angle and have her look up to widen her eyes, Story

The living room in Ms. Taylor’s Upper East Side apartment was mirrored, wall-to-wall, with gold trim.

My first response was, “How am I going to light a

light bounced off low white ceiling light bounced off low white ceiling and side wall mirror

mirrored room?” Thankfully, the back wall was a floorto-ceiling window draped with a pinkish blind. Once my assistant and I set up the lights and arranged the flowers and photos in the background I was ready to photograph Ms. Taylor and Gem. (Note: When pets are involved, work quickly; most won’t behave for a

medium softbox for main light

long shoot.) I limited my shooting to this one setup LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

95

Have You Driven a Ford Lately?

CASE STUDY #37

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

Fuji RDP

EXPOSURE:

f/11 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING: Luz 1200ws with large Chimera softbox for main light; two Luz 800ws power packs with four heads with 30-degree grids and colored gels for background OTHER:

Star filter

Assignment

times and photographed her when she stopped. We

I was assigned to photograph the singer of the popu-

shot about two dozen frames and called it a day.

lar Ford jingle for the cover of Ford Times.

Tips Visual Objective

When shooting a magazine cover, the art director usu-

I wanted to create a theatrical look.

ally has a concept in mind and will even send over a layout. For this assignment, it was very loose; the ed-

Posing

itor was probably hoping I would have gotten some-

For magazine covers, I want the subject to have a di-

thing at her home. I should have been more direct in

rect relationship with the lens. I asked Ms. Cisyk to

asking about the direction of the cover shot—a lesson

pretend she was on stage and was receiving applause

learned. I did get another day of work out of the as-

for a song she had just finished.

signment, though, and that is a good thing.

The Story

I photographed Ms. Cisyk in her home, riding a horse,

30-degree grids with colored gels

and doing other activities around the property. I was looking for an opening shot for the article, lifestyle images to fill out the story, and a cover shot. After a whole day of shooting, though, I realized I didn’t really have a cover shot, so I called the editor and requested another day in the studio to create the cover shot. She understood and budgeted another day of shooting.

For the studio shot the next day, my assistant and I set up a simulated stage shot. I shot a test roll and sent it to the lab that night to see the results the following morning. When Ms. Cisyk arrived at the studio we were ready. I had her sing the Ford jingle about twenty 96

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

large softbox for main light

Hothouse in the Alley

CASE STUDY #38

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw LENS: FILM:

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

80mm

Kodak Tri-X

f/8 at 1/2 second

Profoto Acute 800ws pack with strobe head and large Plume softbox

Assignment

We were moving right along when suddenly I saw

I was asked to photograph the trio Hothouse, a swing

police lights flashing in the background. The police

and Dixie band, for publicity and their upcoming CD.

asked us to move because we were blocking the alley and did not have a permit for the shoot. They were

Visual Objective

right, so we stopped. Besides, I knew I had the shot.

Although shot in Philadelphia, I wanted to create a late-night New Orleans style.

Tips

For night shoots, be sure to pack a cable release. This Posing

will help prevent camera shake, and it lets you look at

I started with the classic golden triangle composition.

your subjects directly (not through the viewfinder) so

I positioned the tuba player and the guitar player first.

you can talk to them while you snap away.

Then I had the clarinet player balance on the chair to create the top of the triangle.

Also, get a permit from the city (either at the film office or city hall) to photograph on the street. In almost all public spaces, when you put down a tripod

The Story

you need a permit.

Before the shoot, tuba player Eric Henry gave me the CD so I could get some ideas for the shot. Immediately, I thought “New Orleans nightlife.� In my scouting, I came across this alley behind a restaurant called Magnolias (where, ironically, they served New Orleans cuisine). It seemed like the stars were aligned.

We all met at the restaurant, whose proprietor was happy to help with the shoot, and took some bar chairs to the alley. While I positioned the musicians, my assistant set up the light. I then set the camera on the tripod, plugged in my cable release, metered the

large softbox for main light

light, and I shot a Polaroid. The Polaroid looked good, but I played around with the shutter, speed slowing it down to bring in more ambient light.

LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

99

Vignelli Design CASE STUDY #39

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

Fuji RDP

EXPOSURE:

f/8 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING: Profoto 800ws pack with one head and spun glass over 40-degree grid for the main light; Profoto 800ws pack with two heads (one with 20-degree grid as hair light; one with 30-degree grid on background)

Assignment

Tips

Massimo and Luca Vignelli, who seemed to have a

One of the reasons I enjoy environmental portraits is

very close, respectful relationship, were photographed

because the environment often reflects the subject’s

for my Fathers and Sons book.

personality. The ability to identify such environmental elements is an important skill to develop. If you do it

Visual Objective

successfully, the environment will complement your

Massimo Vignelli and Associates is a well-known de-

subject and not compete with them. In this image, for

sign firm that has created timeless packaging designs,

example, the environment is monochromatic, draw-

corporate identities, and other graphics—including the

ing your eyes immediately to their faces.

New York City subway map. I wanted an environment that reflected their sense of design.

I cannot overemphasize the need to match the light with the subject. In this image I felt that Hollywoodstyle lighting would work the best. I used hard lights

Posing

to bring out the angles of their faces. It also creates a

I posed Massimo to act as a visual anchor to his son,

little drama with the shadows and geometric shapes.

leaning against the doorframe. I asked Massimo to throw his arm over Luca’s shoulder and for Luca to lean into him. I wanted them to seem connected.

30-degree grid on background

20-degree grid for hair light

The Story

When I arrived at the Vignelli and Associates offices on the west side of Manhattan, I was in awe of the postindustrialist design, featuring contemporary furniture and walls of polished steel or stark white. I was also delighted to see that the Vignellis were both dressed in black and striking to look at. All I had to do was set up the right type of light. Because the environment suited the subjects and they were totally into having the photo taken, it was one of the easiest and most natural shoots I have ever experienced.

100

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

spun glass over 40-degree grid for main light

In the Met CASE STUDY #40

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

50mm

FILM:

Fuji RDP

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/8 at 1/4 second Profoto 800ws pack with one medium Plume softbox

Assignment

Tips

I photographed Arthur Ochs “Punch” Sulzberger for

This assignment was generated because of a paper trail.

a Manhattan Inc. article about the chairmen of New

The magazine had lost three slides from a previous

York art institutions. At the time, Mr. Sulzberger was

job, but I had included a contract stating that if any

chairman of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

slide was damaged or lost, a $1,500 fee would be paid to me for each. I had a good relation with this publi-

Visual Objective

cation, so rather than demand the money I requested

I wanted to capture a portrait that reflected a sense of

a trade; I would accept another photo assignment of

power and tradition.

equal value. The client was more than happy to oblige and I got this great assignment (plus, I continued to

Posing

work with this client until they folded). Whenever you

For the mood I had in mind, it made sense to have

send out materials, you should keep a record of who

him cross his arms. Sometimes, crossing the arms can

they went to and include a Rights and Usage agree-

suggest defensiveness, but here it looks relaxed.

ment if the client intends to publish the work.

The Story

For this shoot, I was allowed to scout the MMA after closing. Even though I had found the location early on in my scouting I spent an extra hour looking around—what a treat!

Since Mr. Sulzberger was sort of a patron saint, having raised millions for the art museum, I positioned him so a halo appeared to frame his head. (Note: Because I forgot my stepladder, I had to step on one of my strobe cases to get the right perspective.) Rather than try to illuminate the columns or shoot tungsten film and convert my strobe light, I decided to drag my shutter and let the background go gold, which implied wealth.

102

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

medium softbox for main light

Julia’s Kitchen CASE STUDY #41

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw LENS: FILM:

EXPOSURE:

50mm

Fuji RDP

f/8 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING:

medium Plume softbox for main light; two background lights through rice paper screen (one with red gel, one with blue gel)

Assignment

Tips

I photographed Julia Child at her home in Santa Bar-

Although travel can be fun, it can also be physically

bara for the cover of Modern Maturity magazine.

exhausting and costly. In years past, photographers could tip the sky cap $20 and curbside their luggage,

Visual Objective

avoiding excess baggage charges. Today, having a pro-

I wanted to capture the famous chef’s flamboyant per-

fessional rental house like Calumet ship the equipment

sonality and a simple indication of her vocation.

to the shoot is a better option and often cheaper than paying for excess baggage—especially if you are trav-

Posing

eling solo. Just make sure you clear the extra expense

Although the publication used another image for the

with the client. That said, I never check my cameras;

cover (showing more of the kitchen), I have always

I always carry them on board. That way, if the airline

liked this one. She is turned to the camera with her

loses my luggage—and they have—I always have my

left shoulder dropped, simply paring a garlic clove.

cameras. Worst-case scenario? I shoot natural light.

Julia put on her charm and was great in front of the camera, striking a different pose in almost every frame. background light with blue gel

background light with red gel

Story

I flew to California, where I met up with an assistant hired via the American Society of Media Photograrice paper screen

phers (ASMP) resource list. We packed a rental car and drove to Santa Barbara where Julia greeted us with all her warmth and charm.

The kitchen was the obvious backdrop for the portrait, but it was (ironically) small. So, while we placed our lights, I set up a partition to hide the kitchen mess.

I then used my wide-angle lens to capture more of the

medium softbox

environment and the six-foot chef.

At the end, Julia invited us to stay for dinner—one of the best on-the-road meals I had ever eaten.

LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

105

Computers and Skateboards CASE STUDY #42

CAMERA:

Canon D30

LENS:

58mm focal length

EXPOSURE:

f/19 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING: Profoto 800ws head with large Plume softbox for main light; another head placed in front of softbox with 40-degree grid; Profoto 800ws pack with 30-degree grid on boom for hair light; Profoto 1200ws pack with two medium Plume softboxes for side lights

Assignment

So I had him hold the board only for a few final shots.

This portrait of Craig Flint, owner of Computer ER,

I submitted all the variations, but (as predicted) they

was shot for the cover of Channel Advisor magazine.

used the one without the skateboard.

Visual Objective

Tips

I wanted to create an edgy, contemporary portrait. I

I cut out magazine images that appeal to me and file

had noticed a trend toward strong rim lighting and

them away. Periodically, I go through the file to see if

wanted to emulate that style.

I want to apply any of the lighting techniques to my images. It is important to stay current and keep your

Pose

work up to date. When you trying to catch the atten-

Magazine covers can be restrictive when it comes to

tion of a new client, they are always looking for some-

posing. The subject needs to fit within a strong verti-

thing “different.”

cal frame, and there need to be extra space above the subject for the masthead. In this case, the photo edi30-degree grid for hair light

tor was planning to drop in a background, so Craig’s position was predetermined by the layout.

Story

You never know where a job is going to come from. I received this job from a photo editor, Stacy Pleasant,

medium softbox for side light

medium softbox for side light

I used to work for in the ’80s. She came across my name on the Internet when looking for photographers in Montana. The story got even stranger: the assign-

40-degree in front of softbox

large softbox for main light

ment was to photograph the owner of the company that services my computer. The site was a five-minute drive from my studio and Craig and his wife are actually friends—talk about a stress reliever!

I knew Craig was totally into skateboarding, but I also knew that the editor would not want that shot.

LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

107

Piper’s Daughter CASE STUDY #43

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503cw

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

Fuji RDP

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/8 at 1/60 second Profoto 800ws pack with one medium Plume softbox

Assignment

Tips

Traveling to Los Angeles for a “mothers and daugh-

Wardrobe can make or break a portrait. In styling any

ters” project, I was fortunate to have a session with

portrait with more than one subject, be sure that what

Piper Laurie, an Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated

they are wearing does not clash. Black is always the

actress, and her daughter Ann Grace.

classic color, but it may look too serious for your subject. Stay away from busy patterns and clothes that are

Visual Objective

wrinkled. You want to draw attention to your subjects

As in my “fathers and sons” project, each portrait was

face not away from it. It is a good idea to ask your sub-

taken in the family’s environment. I also looked for a

ject to bring several outfits—and if you plan to do a lot

simple background, one that would imply a home but

of studio portraits, invest in a clothes steamer.

not distract from my subjects.

Pose

When I photograph pairs, I like them to get close and touch. Here, I had them both standing and placed a tall pedestal in front of Ms. Laurie to lean on. I then asked Ann Grace to wrap her arm around her mother and intertwine their fingers. This was the primary pose that I used for most of the session.

The Story

Nothing really struck me inside the home as an ideal background, so I took a look in the backyard. There, I saw a simple white fence that I thought would compliment their black outfits. Once they were posed, I asked Ms. Laurie to remember what it was like to be a young mother, a professional actress, and take care of Anne Grace. She closed her eyes and smiled while Anne Grace watched. That was the shot.

108

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

medium softbox for main light

Grace

CASE STUDY #44

CAMERA: LENS: EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

Canon D30

24–105mm zoom

f/11 at 1/125 second

Profoto 800ws head with medium Profoto octagon softbox as main light; Profoto 800ws head with spun glass over 40-degree grid for rim light

Assignment

The session went so well that I decided to shoot a

I offered my services to photograph Claire and her

vertical shot (seen here) for myself. After switching the

daughter Grace for a fashion benefit raising money for

red scarf for a purple one, I had Claire sit on a posing

a center that helps children with attachment disorders.

stool and placed Grace in front of her.

The image would be used for ads and a poster.

Tip Visual Objective

The image of Claire and Grace appeared all over town

The portrait was for a serious cause so I wanted my

and part of the exchange was that my web site was

subjects to appear somber. Still, I felt that the image

printed on all the posters. When you take on gratis

also had to reflect bonding and warmth, so it needed

work, be sure that your name/web site appears on the

a softer edge—and to show Claire’s maternal nature.

posters, brochures, ads, etc.—otherwise there will be no benefit to you. It’s also a good idea to get the

The Pose

agreement in writing, so there isn’t any confusion

I had Grace stand straight and stare at the camera

about where and how your name will appear.

holding her elbow with her hands—a serious look for a child. I asked Claire to hold her pregnant belly and wrap her other hand around her daughter. spun glass over 40-degree grid for sidelight

The Story

Claire owned a fashion boutique so I asked if she would bring a change of clothing and colorful scarves.

When they arrived at my studio I was thrilled—Claire was attractive and very pregnant and her daughter was stunning. I had set up a mattress for them to lie down

octagon softbox for main light

on, since the client asked for a horizontal for the poster. I also chose a black background to isolate the subjects, and knew I had to light them to stand out.

Looking at the wardrobe choices, I chose a black dress for Claire and a red scarf to wrap Grace in.

LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

111

Adoption Day CASE STUDY #45

CAMERA: LENS:

Canon D30

24–105mm at 50mm

ISO: 100 EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/19 at 1/180 second Profoto 800ws pack with one Profoto octagonal softbox

Assignment

to create a secure and comfortable environment. For

I photographed my daughter, Metika, for our adop-

instance, I have found that placing a thin foam pad

tion notice.

under the baby keeps them in place (or at least softens the tumble). I also play soft classical music to stimulate

Visual Objective

their senses.

I wanted to capture Metika’s beauty within the con-

The lighting setup should also accommodate the

text of her birth country, Nepal. So she was dressed

child’s movement. One large softbox and a reflector

up in a top from Bali with a scarf over her head.

card for fill works well. This allows the subject to move around on the set without any change in exposure.

The Story

Lastly, you need something to grab their attention.

I had just finished a session the previous day of por-

I ask the mother to bring in some of their favorite

traits on black, so I decided to keep the setup. My

noise-making toys. When I want to attract the child’s

daughter had never been professionally photographed,

attention, I simply raise the toy above the camera and

so I first photographed my son, Makhesh, so Metika

squeeze, shake, or rattle and roll.

could watch and get used to the process. Then we put them together on the set, which didn’t go very well.

So, I pulled my son out of the frame and tried all my kid-tested tricks to get her attention. It was going pretty well, for a two-year-old, until we decided to put the scarf on her head. She immediately started taking it off, but I kept shooting.

It was an exhausting session and I wasn’t sure I had captured anything good. Then, I processed the images in Adobe Lightroom and, to my relief, saw this image.

It was unexpected, but it worked.

Tips

When photographing babies and toddlers you need to have patience and be ready at all times. You also have 112

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

medium softbox for main light

The Conductor CASE STUDY #46

CAMERA: LENS: ISO:

Canon D30

24–105mm at 105mm

100

EXPOSURE:

f/19 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING: Profoto 800ws pack with medium Profoto softbox as main; additional light with 30-degree grid placed in front of main light; large white reflector for fill; Profoto 1200ws powering 40-degree grid on boom as hair light and light with spun glass over 40-degree grid on backdrop

Assignment

Tips

I was assigned to take a promotional portrait of Darko

It was a bit of a financial risk to take on this assign-

Butorac the new conductor of the Missoula Symphony

ment but I felt the subject was interesting and it was a

Orchestra (MSO).

chance to get my name out into the community. I negotiated for my web site address to appear on all pub-

Pose

lished images and had the MSO put a link on their

For a traditional pose of the conductor, I had him sit

web site to my web site. This agreement was all put in

on a posing chair and place his arms on an Impact pos-

writing and signed by both parties. To make it an eq-

ing table. With his arms crossed, I worked on having

uitable trade-off, I also asked for two season tickets.

him change his expressions from serious to big smiles.

They agreed to all the terms and seemed very happy with the results. Bottom line: Think about all the ben-

The Story

efits of taking the photograph, not just monetary ones.

I got a call from a design firm to see if I was interested in photographing the new conductor of the MSO. Marlene Hutchens, the designer, said, “I can’t tell you who he is or how much we can pay you until after the

spun glass over 40-degree grid on backdrop

shoot.” She did say it would be an image that would

40-degree grid on boom for hair light

be published a lot and would be good exposure for me. I trusted Marlene’s judgment, so I said yes. (Note: The MSO’s search for a new conductor had gone on for three years, and this was their way of keeping the decision a secret until the big announcement.)

My assistant and I set up the studio that morning

white reflector

and, literally ten minutes after the announcement,

30-degree grid in front of softbox

Darko was in my studio. He was exuberant to find out he was selected and it showed in the photo session.

The portrait you see here was used for the program and on the web site.

114

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

medium softbox for main light

ExcelleRx

CASE STUDY #47

CAMERA:

LENS:

Canon D30

24–105mm zoom at 100mm EXPOSURE:

f/11 at 1/125 second

LIGHTING: Profoto 800ws head with medium Plume softbox as main light; Profoto 800ws head with 30-degree grid behind the subject pointed at the ceiling; 1600ws pack with two white umbrellas on the white background; black gobos for umbrellas; white reflector for fill

Assignment

Monica was great to work with and looked great in

I was assigned to photograph employees of ExcelleRx

the camera, but she kept saying she didn’t photograph

for a web-based advertising campaign.

well so I decided to play off that insecurity. I joked with her that she needed dental work and to curl her

Visual Objective

hair if she wanted to become a top fashion model. She

The goal was to create very warm, happy portraits

turned her head and laughed and that was the shot.

using clean and “commercial looking” lighting.

Tips Pose

It is always a challenge to photograph “real people”

These were very tight images so my main objective

in the corporate environment, but it helps to warm

was to capture happy facial expressions. I asked Mon-

them up by greeting them cheerfully and engaging

ica to close her eyes and open them at the count of

them in conversation about their lives. Don’t spend

three while she threw her head back. We did that many

the session looking at your LCD screen; this is the

times to capture this image.

fastest way to disengage from your subject and remind them that they are being photographed.

The Story

I received a call about this assignment from a Philadelphia client—three months after I had moved to Montana. Fortunately, I decided to ask about the project and the budget; I realized that I could fly round trip,

umbrella on background

rent equipment, hire an assistant, stay within their budget, and still make a good profit.

black gobo

umbrella on background 30-degree grid pointed at ceiling

For the shoot, I chose the largest conference room black gobo

they had and asked them to clear out all the furniture before I arrived the following morning to set up a

white reflector

commercial studio. The biggest challenge here was to contain the light; all the walls were white and the ceil-

medium softbox for main light

ing was at about eight feet. To do this, we used black cards to gobo and model the lights.

LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

117

Payne Financial Group CASE STUDY #48

CAMERA:

Hasselblad H3D

LENS:

120mm macro ISO:

EXPOSURE:

f/6.8 at

1/ 15

50

second

LIGHTING:

Profoto 800ws pack powering a 30-degree grid as main light and a medium Plume softbox place behind the first light; white reflector for fill

Assignment

heart started racing and I figured I’d try rebooting.

I was assigned to photograph a series of portraits of

Presto! I was back in business.

employees of the Payne Financial Group, an insurance company, for billboard advertising.

It turned out to be a three-day shoot—and about 30 gigabytes of images. (Note: I ended up asking the client for 500-gigabyte external hard drive so I could

Visual Objective

download the images and deliver it to them.) The

The ad agency wanted something very stylized that

quality and sharpness of the images was phenomenal

would look good in black & white.

and the client was thrilled. Two weeks later, images started appearing on billboards around the Northwest.

Pose

I had Angela cross her arms and directly face the cam-

Tips

era to show confidence.

I am fanatic about backing up my digital files after the shoot. I download the images from my card to my

The Story

computer’s hard drive, then drag my files to an exter-

When I learned that these images would be used for

nal hard drive for additional back up. You can never

billboards, a red flag went up. I had been using my

have too much memory.

Canon D30 for commercial work, but the resolution would not hold up for billboard-size work. The client preferred that I shoot digital and approved the funds to rent a Hasselblad H3D 39 (list price $29,000). So I was embarking on a shooting a big ad campaign with a camera I had never used before. Yikes.

The camera arrived on a Friday and I spent the weekend getting comfortable with it and the software.

30-degree grid for main light

white reflector

On Monday, my assistant and I set up on location for the Tuesday shoot. Before we left, I tethered the camera to my laptop for a test shot. All was well.

medium softbox behind grid

The next morning, however, I tethered to the computer for another test shot and the camera froze. My LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

119

Tea Time CASE STUDY #49

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 500cw

LENS:

120mm macro FILM:

EXPOSURE: LIGHTING:

f/5.6 at

Fuji RDP

1/ 60

second

Profoto 800ws pack with a medium Plume softbox OTHER:

Softar II filter

Assignment

Tips

I photographed Phyllis Diller with one her daughters

Styling can be just as important as the lighting, espe-

for my “mothers and daughters” project.

cially when you are visualizing your shot. Sometimes it is a matter of looking around the environment to

Visual Objective

see what you can use to complement the look. Other

I wanted to create a scenario that would depict a mo-

times, you may have to bring in your own props.

ment a mother and daughter might have together.

Think about color, wardrobe, and texture when propping a shot. In this image, it was all about color

The Pose

for me. I made sure I stayed within the pink, white,

I set up a little tea party for Ms. Diller and her daugh-

and green motif. By creating a repetitive pattern of

ter Stephanie to attend. I wanted to position them as

color, the emphasis transfers to your subject. Isn’t that

if someone had just walked in on their conversation.

the primary objective of a good portrait?

Story

My assistant (my wife Kate) and I arrived at Ms. Diller’s home in Brentwood. As she showed us around her home, I began to look for locations to take two portraits (as part of the agreement, I was to photograph Ms. Diller with her two daughters separately).

The first set-up (not shown) was in her lavishly decorated bedroom. I wanted the other setup to be very different, and found the spot when I saw an outdoor patio that reminded me a French café. The dominant

medium softbox for main light

colors were white and pink so we set up the table accordingly. They were delighted with the setup and started sipping tea and chatting. I got their attention from time to time with some of my inane jokes.

At the day’s end, Ms. Diller gave us one of her signed books: Phyllis Diller’s Marriage Manual.

LIGHTING CASE STUDIES

121

Hangin’ with Hal CASE STUDY #50

CAMERA:

Hasselblad 503c

LENS:

120mm macro

FILM:

Fuji RDP

EXPOSURE:

f/8 at 1/15 second

LIGHTING: Luz 800ws pack with spun glass on 40-degree grid for main light (black wrap used as gobo to prevent spill on background); Luz 800ws pack with 20-degree grid and black-wrap gobo on background

Assignment

I shot one more Polaroid, switched to film, and just

Us magazine assigned me to photograph Hal Gurney,

starting shooting. I asked my assistant to peel the Po-

the director of the David Letterman Show, at work.

laroid when it was ready and let me know if we got rid of the glare.

Visual Objective

I wanted to capture a moment of quiet in the busy

Tips

schedule of a television director.

When photographing in a populated area, tape down your cords and stands. I also tape down the feet of the light stands to prevent them from being knocked over.

Pose

I basically let Mr. Gurney do his thing, pointing his

Also, when photographing monitors, be sure your

finger, talking on the microphone and so on. I finally

shutter is 1/30 second or slower to avoid a pattern that

asked him if he could take a quick break to sit back

will appear if you shoot at a faster shutter speed.

and try and look relaxed. He did, and I took the shot.

Story

I arrived early to scout the location. When I went into the control room, I saw monitors displaying Letter20-degree grid with black-wrap gobo on background

man on the set and decided that was going to be my background. After I had the union electrician plug in my strobe packs, I began to set up my lights. (Note: As an independent contractor shooting on a television set, anytime you want to plug in, you have to ask the union electrician to do it for you.) I took some Polaroids of my assistant sitting in Hal’s chair and noticed some reflections from my main light on the monitors. Just as we placed black wrap around the light, Mr. Gurney walked in and said he was ready— meaning he did not have much time.

122

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

spun glass on 40-degree grid with black-wrap gobo for main light

Conclusion

A

fter shooting professionally for over twenty-five

easy to sustain yourself as a professional portrait pho-

years, I have found that it never gets old. I am

tographer, but if you have the desire, determination,

always facing new challenges, always thinking about

and staying power, it will be well worth the journey.

new ways to market my business, and challenging myself creatively. It hasn’t been easy sustaining a prof-

I am always facing new challenges,

itable business, but the time spent trying has always

always thinking about new ways

been well worth the effort.

to market my business . . .

As a portrait photographer I have had the privilege to meet fascinating people and work with very talented

Each big journey starts with a first step. I hope this

creatives. The great thing about this profession is that

book will give you some insight, practical information,

I never plan to retire from the field. I plan to continue

and inspiration to begin or continue on your path to

to create photographs, write about photography, and

a life-long profession of creating.

teach photography.

I say all this not to inflate my ego but to inspire you to follow your photographic desires. It is not always

124

50 LIGHTING SETUPS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS

Index

(Flash, cont’d)

A

D

Animals, working with, 29, 89, 95

Dedicated flash, 18

non-dedicated, 18

Auxiliary flash, 17–22

Diffusing flash, 17

off-camera, 21–22, 25

Digital sensor cleaners, 70

outdoors, 19–20

B

Digital workflow, 65, 119

pop-up, 16–17

Background, controlling, 25, 26,

Direct flash, 20–21

selecting, 22

Directing subjects, 29, 24, 114,

special effects with, 21

44, 102 Backing up, 119 Backlighting, 11, 15, 58

117

sync speed, 19

Dragging the shutter, 19, 48, 102

universal, 18

Batteries, 32 Beauty dish, 12–13, 43, 65, 78

E

G

Billboards, 119

Exposure, 14

Gels, 52, 66, 87, 89, 91, 93, 96,

Bogen super clamp, 70

Expression, 117

Bounce flash, 20–21

Extension cords, 39

105 Gobos, 43, 48, 52, 58, 61, 91, 93,

Bug light, 13–14 Butterfly lighting, 8, 9

117, 122 Grid spots, 9, 10, 34, 44, 47, 52,

F

Fashion photography, 13, 14

58, 66, 73, 78, 81, 85, 87,

C

Field camera, 15

91, 96, 100, 107, 111, 114,

Cable release, 32

Fill flash, 15, 16–17, 56

117, 119, 122

Camera angle, 47, 54, 68, 95, 102

Filters, 63, 89, 95, 121

Catchlights, 9, 12, 14

Flash, 15, 16–22, 25, 56

Children, working with, 43, 50, 54, 111, 112

Group portraits, 32, 34, 37, 39, 41, 42, 44, 68, 70, 73, 87,

auxiliary, 17–22

93, 99, 100, 108, 111, 121

bounce, 20–21

Clip tests, 65

dedicated, 18

H

Composition, 37, 66, 68, 102

diffusing, 17

Hair light, 10, 100, 107, 114

Compressed air, 70

direct, 20–21

Handholdling, 14

Contrast, 9, 10, 56

dragging the shutter, 19

CTO, 52

fill, 15, 16–17, 56

I

freezing action with, 20

Improvising, 77 INDEX

125

(Softboxes, cont’d)

Infrared film, color, 63

Pocket Wizard, 29

Inspiration, 78, 107

Pop-up flash, 16–17

54, 58, 61, 63, 66, 68, 73,

Insurance, 37

Posing, 26, 29, 30, 32, 34, 37, 39,

75, 77, 81, 82, 87, 93, 95,

41, 43, 44, 47, 50, 52, 61,

96, 99, 102, 105, 107, 108,

L

63, 65, 66, 68, 70, 73, 75,

111, 112, 114, 117, 119,

Lens selection, 26

77, 78, 81, 82, 91, 93, 95,

121

Lights, setting up, 82

96, 99, 100, 102, 105, 108,

Light stands, 48

111, 114, 119, 121, 122

Lowell Total Lite, 85

Spun glass, 9, 81, 87, 89, 100, 111, 114, 122

Posing table, 9

Style, 95

Profoto Globe, 11–12

Subjects, researching, 30, 47

M

Property releases, 37

Sync speed, flash, 19

Macrophotography, 13

Props, selecting, 29, 50, 54, 63,

Magazine covers, 26, 96, 107

68, 73, 77, 78, 93, 105, 107,

T

Main light, 8, 9, 11–12

121

TeleZoom reflector, 10–11 Test shoots, 85, 87

Marketing, 95, 111, 114

Time constraints, 52, 56, 58, 61,

Maternity images, 111

R

Mirror lock, 32

Red-eye, 14

Modeling light, 41

Reflectors, 9, 11, 26, 50, 54, 75, 81, 114, 117, 119

Model releases, 37 Monitors, photographing, 122

Rembrandt lighting, 8, 9, 12

Motion blur, 85, 87

Rights agreements, 87, 102, 111, 114

N

Rim lighting, 107, 111

Night portraits, 32, 99

Ring light, 13–14

Non-dedicated flash, 18

65, 122 Traveling, 105, 117 Tripod, 32, 39, 41, 56, 99 Tungsten light, 85, 87 U

Umbrellas, 10, 37, 56, 61, 70, 78, 117 Universal flash, 18

S O

Safety, 122

W

Off-camera flash, 21–22, 25

Scouting locations, 30, 89

Wardrobe, 30, 108, 111, 121

Self-timer, 32

Weather conditions, 26, 30, 32

P

Separation, 15, 44, 68

Wedding photography, 22, 24–25

Paramount lighting, 8, 9

Shutter-priority mode, 25

Weights, 32, 70

Permissions for location

Side lighting, 8, 9, 58, 107

Window light, 43, 58

photography, 26, 37, 99 Planning, 30, 61, 63, 65, 81, 117

126

Softboxes, 10, 12, 26, 29, 30, 32, 34, 39, 41, 44, 47, 48, 50,

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